Rushmore

When a beautiful first-grade teacher arrives at a prep school, she soon attracts the attention of an ambitious teenager named Max, who quickly falls in love with her. Max turns to the father of two of his schoolmates for advice on how to woo the teacher. However, the situation soon gets complicated when Max's new friend becomes involved with her, setting the two pals against one another in a war for her attention.

Wes Anderson's second feature won over most critics with its eccentric tonal balance and the odd-couple chemistry between Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray, though a notable minority found the film's shift into darker territory in the final act unresolved — and Max's prickly personality a genuine barrier to sympathy. Critics largely agreed on the performances; where they split was whether Anderson successfully lands the emotional weight he sets up or lets the air out at the crucial moment.