loading...
Bottle Rocket
1995
The debut feature film for director Wes Anderson and actors Luke and Owen Wilson, BOTTLE ROCKET is a kind-hearted yet quirky tale about three friends who fashion themselves into modern-day robbers. After leaving his voluntary confinement in a mental home, Anthony (Luke Wilson) joins his friends Dignan (the film's co-writer, .. Read more
| Starring | Luke Wilson, Owen C. Wilson, James Caan, Robert Musgrave |
|---|---|
| Director | Wes Anderson |
| Genres | Comedy |
loading...
Bottle Rocket
The debut feature film for director Wes Anderson and actors Luke and Owen Wilson, BOTTLE ROCKET is a kind-hearted yet quirky tale about three friends who fashion themselves into modern-day robbers. After leaving his voluntary confinement in a mental home, Anthony (Luke Wilson) joins his friends Dignan (the film's co-writer, Owen Wilson) and Bob (Robert Musgrave) in a bookstore heist. In need of direction, more so than money, the three guys prove to be polite, but rather inept criminals. Nevertheless the job is a success, and the trio head out to a remote hotel, planning to lay low until they can return to join a gang of supposed professional criminals lead by the infamous Mr. Henry (James Caan).
Based on their own 1994 black-and-white short, the expanded film is part buddy movie, crime caper, and slacker comedy. First-time director Wes Anderson displays a sure hand, creating carefully composed scenes full of rich detail (shot on 27mm film, to ensure greater depth of field), schematic use of colour, and amusing, irreverent music (including a score by Mark Mothersbaugh, founding member of the punk band Devo). Full of sure-footed performances, BOTTLE ROCKET is a charming meditation on friendship, love, and innocence, conveyed with great humour and refreshing goodwill.
| Starring | Luke Wilson, Owen C. Wilson, James Caan, Robert Musgrave |
|---|---|
| Director | Wes Anderson |
| Studio | SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 28 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | English |
| Dubbed | French, German |
| Subtitles | Arabic, English, French, German, Hindi, Turkish |
| Released | DVD: 05 Apr 2004 Production year: 1995 |
| Format | DVD |
-
Critics' reviews (3)
View all -
This agreeably eccentric comedy crime drama marked the debut feature of Wes Anderson. It tells the story of a dopey trio (Luke and Owen Wilson, Robert Musgrave) who bewilderingly think they are cut out for a life in crime. Anderson observes their bungling antics and personality disorders with obvious affection, while continually taking the episodic tale in unexpected directions. The then largely unknown leads deliver expertly judged performances and there's a nice cameo from James Caan. Anderson made even more of an impression with his quirky and sophisticated comedy follow-up Rushmore.
-
Less idiosyncratic than Rushmore, Anderson's debut is none the less offbeat enough to defy easy analysis. Three... read more on Time Out
-
Most helpful member's review
View all -
24 out of 28 people found this review helpful
A Decent Start For Anderson
If you were ever wondering where the genius of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums' Wes Anderson started, the answer can be found here, in 'Bottle Rocket'.
Like so many other low budget, first time movies, (Swingers is a prime example) a simple storyline is merely a platform for clever dialogue and identifiable, rich characters. The two leads, played by Owen and Luke Wilson, seem to be having a blast throughout, and this reflects on the film as a whole.
Unfortunately, the simple 'buddy heist' storyline doesn't live up to the promise, and in the end, the movie can only be recommended as a curio, and no better. -
Most recent members' review
View all -
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Remarkably Unremarkable
I'm a huge fan of Wes Anderson's films Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic so was very surprised to find his debut feature to be a relatively anonymous American indie pic. There is little trace of Anderson's now well-established ornate design, rather an understated direction that could really have been anyone. The Wilson brothers give reliably good performances, and the film is very watchable and often funny, but Anderson made a quantum leap in quality subsequently with Rushmore.
I would check out Anderson's other films in the order stated above, then see this if you like them. It's good, but he got a whole lot better. -
News and features
View all
Owen Wilson's Arrested Development
- 25 Mar 2008
People talk about "courageous" performances all the time, though it's doubtful that actors are really any braver than, say, firemen, policemen or nurses. Still, it must have taken some guts for Owen Wilson to stand up and present an Oscar this year. A worldwide audience of up to a billion people flashing back to headlines about the star's suicide attempt last August. It was shocking news - suicides often are - and especially because Wilson would seem to be living the dream. He's earning $10... Read more
-
More like this
View all
Related user collection
Into the depths - interesting films away from the blockbusters (45)
73.2% from 31 members
