photo courtesy of Fox Universal Pictures From left to right: Adrien Brody, Jason Scwartzman and Owen Wilson play three brothers traveling by train through India on a spiritual journey.

Keeping on track with his previous efforts, Wes Anderson's "The Darjeeling Limited" blends the director's signature offbeat comedy and low-key drama in a solid effort that is atypically simplistic in its storytelling, threatening to leave longtime fans behind on the boarding platform.

Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody and Owen Wilson play Jack, Peter and Francis Whitman respectively, three American brothers who haven't seen or spoken to each other in over a year since their father's funeral. The three meet on The Darjeeling Limited -- a train travelling through India -- under the guise of engaging in brotherly bonding and a spiritual journey. But their ride takes twists and turns that force the brothers to deal with their loads of emotional and literal baggage.

It quickly becomes apparent that each brother is using the trip to avoid a central problem in his life.

Jack, the youngest, is simultaneously fleeing and obsessing over his relationship with an ex-girlfriend he left behind while writing short stories to explain his feelings and experiences. Played with style and confidence by Schwartzman, the lead in Anderson's "Rushmore," Jack is cool and seductive on the surface but very lonely beneath the facade.

Peter, the middle child, has neither recovered from his father's death nor learned how to attend to his wife who is seven months pregnant with their first child when he steps onto the train. Academy Award-winner Brody, new to Wes Anderson's films, fits right into his role as the confused, still-mourning brother and provides most of the dramatic force in "Darjeeling."

Francis, the oldest brother and mastermind behind the trip, has just gone through a near-death experience in a motorcycle crash, which motivates his attempts at spiritual and fraternal growth. Wilson, a long-time Anderson collaborator, gets to lead the trio in their travels and does a fine job bringing limited laughs but plenty of maturity as a well-meaning but flawed control freak.

Unlike other recent Anderson films, there is little emphasis on a large ensemble cast. A group of excellent supporting performers anchors the film, including Waris Ahluwalia (previously in Anderson's "The Life Aquatic") as the train's chief steward and Amara Karan as a beautiful stewardess. There are only brief appearances from Anderson regulars such Anjelica Huston as the trio's mother, Bill Murray as a travelling businessman, and Kumar Pallana as an inconspicuous old man.

Adding some delicious flavor to the mix is a one-two punch of gorgeous visual style and a thoroughly enjoyable soundtrack.

Long, unbroken shots -- a favorite of the director's -- and cleverly chosen camera placement manage to make the inside of the small train seem comfortable rather than claustrophobic. A brilliant array of colors and clothing and the natural beauty of India allow Anderson's lens additional reasons to linger.

Supporting the proceeding is an array of pleasant Indian music from a variety of sources, including the works of legendary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Anderson also makes prominent use of Indian-born Peter Sarstedt's 1969 song "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)" as Jack's signature ballad of seduction.

While there is a lot going on in the background to enjoy, "Darjeeling" focuses squarely on the healing of the Whitman trio, and while the performances are good and often hilarious, there is a severe lack of satisfying character arcs. The ending feels premature and undeserved, especially after a third act that rambles and seems forced.

Chalk that up to deficiencies in the screenplay by Anderson, Schwartzman and Roman Coppola. Audiences will wish they had allowed the Whitmans to grow and learn some real lessons, not just let go of their problems. Adding another 20 minutes of material to the film would also have left it less than two hours and allowed movie-goers more time with the likable leads.

Luckily, there is an additional 13 minutes that can be spent with Schwartzman's Jack and a stunning Natalie Portman in "Hotel Chevalier," a short film that acts as "Part 1 of The Darjeeling Limited." Anderson makes it clear in a clip before the start of the film that audiences should see "Chevalier" for the complete experience. It has been made available as a free download through iTunes.

While not entirely necessary to understand "Darjeeling," "Chevalier" explains details of the relationship between Jack (Schwartzman) and his ex-girlfriend (Portman) and gives viewers much easier access into their world of "The Darjeeling Limited."

Sadly, the short film may be more accomplished in its limited scope than the whole of the full-length film with its broad themes and blatant symbolism.

Anderson succeeds through style, not substance, in the newest entry into his film career; but even a moderately successful effort by this auteur is worth the price of admission.

Story: B-
Acting: A-
Cinematography: A
Overall: B