Today we pay tribute to brother and editor of the podcast Nic Fornasier (11.10.1990 – 22.6.2023). We release in one episode, 2021’s originally 2 parter episode, where Nic joins Steph as they explore the dysfunctional family opus, The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Directed by Wes Anderson and written by Wes and Owen Wilson, it was Nic and Steph’s shared favourite film of all time.
Together they asked the question, can narcissistic dads who abandon their kids make up for the resulting trauma? And if so does this movie portray this situation with nuance and respect? Steph and Nic do their best at diagnosing the characters, discuss how the family relates to their own lives, and whether the Wes-isms in the film are helpful or harmful for the viewer.
We dedicate this episode to Nic. We love you Niccie.
CONTENT WARNING: Suicide (particularly from 1:35:13 – 1:39:18), substance use and addiction (including personal experiences), depression, self harm, childhood emotional manipulation and neglect, cancer, discussions of sexual content, death of a family member, death of a dog, incest??
NOTE: This podcast is not designed to be therapeutic, prescriptive or constitute a formal diagnosis for any listener, nor the characters discussed. The host is not representative of all psychologists and opinions stated are her own personal opinion, based on her own learnings and training (and minimal lived experience). Host and co-hosts do not have the final say and can only comment based on their own perspectives, so please let us know if you dispute any of these opinions – we are keen for feedback!
REFERENCES:
· You are Good (Formerly Why Are Dads) podcast episode on The Royal Tenenbaums · Vulture: How Wes Anderson Made the Royal Tenenbaums · Screen Rant: 10 behind the scenes facts about the Royal Tenenbaums · Abilene Christian University: Who's Your Daddy?: A Psychological Analysis of Father-Son Relationships in Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums · Little White Lies: How Wes Anderson’s families helped me recover from the breakdown of my own · University of Rhode Island: When the alternative becomes hegemonic: A textual analysis of the Royal Tenenbaums · The Dissolve: The Royal Tenenbaums forum: Failure, depression, and other varieties of family fun · The Jugular: The Psychology of Failure: The Royal Tenenbaums, Melancholy and Growing Pains · On Psychology and Neuroscience: The Life Psychotic with Wes Anderson · One Room With A View: The Royal Tenenbaums And The Art Of Tragicomedy · Screen Queens: #CriterionMonth: The sexist portrayal of Margot Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson’s the Royal Tenenbaums. · Flipscreened: The Wes Dispatch #3: Trauma, Grief and Accepting Help in ‘The Royal Tenenbaums