Bottle Rocket (1996)

Must See Movie...

Memorable, crazy movie

Captivating movie !

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Short and Simple Review by WubsTheFadgerWes Anderson's first feature film shows us this directors future potential. Bottle Rockets is not his best film but it has some good moments. Throughout the film, there are very funny scenes and some good dialogue. I just thought that the film was missing Anderson's classic quirkiness and weirdness.The acting is very good. Owen and Luke Wilson work great together and both are very funny. Robert Musgrave, Ned Dowd, Andrew Wilson, and Jenni Tooley all perform well.The pacing, for me, was a little slow and the runtime was overlong. This film was better as a short rather than a full feature.Pros: Some funny moments in the story, Owen and Luke Wilson's performance, and good overall actingCons: Slow pacing, an overlong runtime, and the film was missing Anderson's weirdnessOverall Rating: 6.5

Bottle Rocket from 1996 stars the Wilson brothers - Owen, Luke, and Andrew, with a script co-written by Owen and Wes Anderson. The film also stars James Caan.The story concerns a group of friends at loose ends who embark on a life of crime at the instigation of Dignan (Owen). Anthony (Luke) has just escaped from a voluntary mental hospital -- he could have walked out, but instead he slid to the ground on a sheet. Dignan (Owen) is the ringleader with a series of instructional notebooks; Bob (Robert Musgrave) has a car so he's the lookout and driver.They knock over a few stores and wind up at a motel where Anthony falls for a maid and feels it's been a life-changing experience. Then Bob's brother is arrested as a drug dealer, so he takes off in his car to help him, leaving the other two stranded. And so it goes.Very funny - Wes Anderson is great at this type of offbeat comedy. The comedy comes out of the characterizations rather than the lines. The best is toward the end when Owen takes charge of a big caper. Enjoy this.

This film tells the story of three friends who plan a heist for ages, but things still go horribly wrong despite their careful and meticulous planning."Bottle Rocket" baffles me because there isn't any bottle or rockets in the film! It tells three funny characters going around, getting the right crew for their heist. The plot is a bit all over the place, as I got a bit lost in the middle when there is a big party. Anyway, the final heist is funny as things don't go according to plan, but it is a long wait for a brief finale. I enjoyed it though, because it's Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson's first full length film.

This film only ranks a five based on the fact that it is Wes Anderson's first film. If he were to quit directing after this movie it would be at least a three. You can tell that Wes Anderson is clearly developing his style for cinematography and not for storytelling during this film. The entire premise of the movie is awkward and hard to watch since the Wilson brothers are frequently cast in more intelligent roles. Some scenes are boring, some scenes are confusing, but every once in a while you get a cheep laugh. I believe that Bob's condescending brother is the most humorous character in the film, besides maybe Mr.Henry, but they both play supporting roles. Acting from the main characters is dry, which is to be expected with any Wes Anderson flick. If you're a hip Wes Anderson fanatic, you would probably fall head over beard for this film. If not, do yourself a favor and check out Rushmore instead.