Sunday Matinee #135 The Royal Tenenbaums
Be prepared... but too much?!
The Royal Tenenbaums | 2001
IMDb | Letterboxd | RRMC
Context: Royal (Gene Hackman) has falsely convinced his family that he’s dying, so they all move in under the same roof for the first time in years. This includes his overprotective son Chas (Ben Stiller) and his overprotected sons, Ari (Grant Rosenmeyer) and Uzi (Jonah Meyerson). Royal takes Ari and Uzi out for a fun-filled – and risk-filled – field trip and when Chas finds out, he is livid. He confronts his father away from his children, taking him to their family game closet.
Chas frowns. He looks to Royal. Royal hesitates. Chas grabs Royal by the arm and pulls him into the closet across the hall. Chas closes the door and turns on the light. There are hundreds of board games, most of which are about thirty years old, in shelves up to the ceiling.
CHAS Stay away from my children. Do you understand?
ROYAL: (looking around, smiling) My God. I haven’t been in here in years!
CHAS; (screams) Are you listening to me?!
ROYAL: (matching Chas’s energy} Yes! I am! (pulls it back a bit) And I think you’re having a nervous breakdown! I don’t believe you’ve recovered from Rachael’s death. I think–
Chas turns off the light, goes out of the closet, and closes the door. Royal stands alone in the dark.
Luke 12:32-40 | EnterTheBible.org
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost | 08.10.2025
Context: This brief parable comes in the midst of several brief parables, teachings, and sayings. This one encourages people to be active in their faith with the thought that God may arrive in their midst at any time.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Creator’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Commentary:
As much as you want to like family patriarch Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman in one of his greatest roles, in my opinion), his methods are poor and his motivations aren’t much better. He’s trying to be there for his adult children in ways he wasn’t when they were younger, but a man shows love cudgel-style because he doesn’t know any better doesn’t necessarily know any new tricks. Thus, he steps in it with Chas.
Chas has been increasingly risk-averse over the past year. The summer before, his wife, Rachel, was killed in a plane crash that he and his sons survived, along with their dog, Buckley. Ever since that traumatic experience, Chas doesn’t allow his children any activities that could risk harm. When Royal shows up with the pair after their adventures around the city, Cas doesn’t see the joy on his children’s faces, just the blood from a little scrape. For Chas, he isn’t glad that he brought happiness to his kids but is upset that he did so with risky and secretive behavior. Their relationship dynamic is challenging, but perhaps familiar. Generations don’t always get along the way we wish they did when children become fellow adults.
It’s tough being a parent. Knowing when to protect your child for their own good and when to let them be in a position to get hurt, also for their own good. You can’t shelter them forever from everything, and Chas has forgotten that. He and his boys survived a statistical anomaly of a traumatic experience, but now it impacts the everyday little things. Being prepared is one thing. Being overly-protective at all times is quite another.
The lesson Jesus teaches about homeowners and servants keeping a watchful eye out is complex. On one hand, there is a call to be on guard and ready for anything. Your Creator may arrive for you at any moment. Be dressed, have your lamp lit, be ready. I think about this phrase when I’m tempted to just lounge around the house without clean clothes or a nice shower. Sure, you can be comfy and likely won’t have to interact with anybody. Then wham, you slice open your thumb in the kitchen while making lettuce wraps and you have to get dressed to go to the ER. Am I the only person who thinks like this? Hmm, maybe I am Chas from Royal Tenenbaums!
Jesus is saying don’t put off your faith. Or your good works from your faith. Or doing the right thing. God wants you prepared because you never know when a tough situation will put your faith and ethics to the test. I don’t see this passage as black and white as that old chestnut, “If you were to die tonight, do you know with absolute certainty if you would go to heaven…” stuff. I think this is about everyday living. In The Royal Tenenbaums, Chas has made everyday life into death avoidance. That’s no way to live.
Around our home, our children know well the phrase “mitigate risk.” They’ve heard it from me so many times over the last few years, they’re known to say it on their own, from time to time. I’ve been accused of being too risk averse, but we work hard to find that middle ground. Maybe I have a little too much Chas in me. On the other hand, I have zero interest in spending the day in the emergency room because someone did something foolish after announcing, “Hey guys, watch this!”
What is something in your life where you are too overprotective or overprepared, something you could pull back on a bit? What is something in your life where you aren’t prepared enough and you should do more? One example: I know WAY too many people who put off establishing their will and trust. Sure, statistically you’ve got plenty of time. But let me go a little Chas + Jesus here = if the thief of death comes in the night, are you ready?
I’ll pull back to a lighter question to wrap up, however: if there’s one thing that would make your life better by doing it today instead of waiting for tomorrow, what would it be, and what’s keeping you from liking this post, making a comment, sharing it with a friend, and then going to go do that thing? (Priorities, Dear Reader, priorities!)
God's peace and good movies to you!