Rushmore cover art

Rushmore Details

1998 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 17,909 members

Director Wes Anderson's follow-up to the acclaimed BOTTLE ROCKET is a funny, warmhearted, and extremely sharp American response to the English Angry Young Man films of the 1960s, right down to its British Invasion soundtrack. Newcomer Jason Schwartzman creates a classic protagonist in Max Fischer, a sophomore at Rushmore .. Read more

Starring Jason Schwartzman, Olivia Williams, Bill Murray, Seymour Cassel
Director Wes Anderson
Genres Drama

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Rushmore

Director Wes Anderson's follow-up to the acclaimed BOTTLE ROCKET is a funny, warmhearted, and extremely sharp American response to the English Angry Young Man films of the 1960s, right down to its British Invasion soundtrack. Newcomer Jason Schwartzman creates a classic protagonist in Max Fischer, a sophomore at Rushmore Academy. He excels at every extracurricular activity in school, from theater to beekeeping. Gradewise, however, he's failing. He has few friends outside school save for wealthy but depressed industrialist Herman Blume (Bill Murray), father of obnoxious twin boys who also attend Rushmore. Enter Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), a beautiful young widowed teacher at Rushmore Elementary. While Max is immediately smitten with Miss Cross, she finds comfort in the company of the emotionally frazzled Blume. But Max won't let Blume have Miss Cross without a fight.
Anderson and cowriter Owen Wilson have created a script brimming with oddball humor at the surface, but at its core lies just enough realistic pain and disappointment to create an all-too-rare bittersweet edge, striking a subtle balance that few films ever achieve, and finally giving national treasure Bill Murray the chance to shine like never before. As director, Anderson displays his exceptional talents with careful choices in color palette, effective use of slow motion to comedic effect, and, most important, a brilliant selection of offbeat songs that are integral to the story. Easily one of the finest comedies since THE GRADUATE, RUSHMORE is a monument to brilliant filmmaking.

Starring Jason Schwartzman, Olivia Williams, Bill Murray, Seymour Cassel, Mason Gamble, Brian Cox, Luke Wilson, Andrew Wilson
Director Wes Anderson
Studio BUENA VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 29 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 15 Jun 2006
Production year: 1998
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (6) of Rushmore

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Director Wes Anderson and his co-writer Owen Wilson — who first caught the eye with their low-budget debut Bottle Rocket — score again with this unusual black comedy, which centres around an extremely unconventional teen hero. The boy in question is 15-year-old Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), one of the least popular pupils at Rushmore Academy, who nonetheless runs just about every club and school activity in a megalomaniacal effort to further himself. Schwartzman gives a superbly nerdy performance, but Bill Murray — playing a depressed millionaire — steals every scene in this quirky, edgy and very funny tale of an outsider who just might end up leading all those who laugh at him.

    • Radio Times
  • "...RUSHMORE stands as the perfect comedy, with excellent characterisation happily skipping along hand in hand with pithy intelligent dialogue and plotting..." -- 5 out of 5 stars

    • Total Film
  • Most helpful member's review of Rushmore

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  • 22 out of 22 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Shares the same family tree as Election

    Pie in the face it's not. A classy left of centre offering - from the same family tree as Election - charmingly skewed - deliciously dark in places -

    Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman are both terrific - Schwartzman a revelation as he matches the dissaffected Murray at his desolate best. Much like Max - this won't be to everyone's taste.

    It might not have made the Multiplex pass rate - but this is a worthy successor to Bottle Rocket and a precursor to Royal and his family.

    Well deserving of its cult reputation.

    Wry and vicious in equal measures - a gently humorous delight.

      • A customer from Penicuik, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Most recent members' review of Rushmore

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  • 4 out of 6 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Another success

    Intelligent, quirky humor. Eccentric but fascinating cast of characters. Nostaligia. And a life-goes-on resolution. All the Wes Anderson qualities are here in this great film. Plus a meatier role from Bill Murray than we had in Royal Tannenbaums--his character is sad, endearing and funny and Murray does it brilliantly.

    If you've had the chance to see Bottle rocket and liked it, or seen the Royal Tannenbaums and loved it, then this is for you.

      • Zoli from London
  • News and features

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    Cat Stevens - Majikat

    Charlie Bartlett

    • 12 May 2008

    What's a preppie to do when he's been expelled so many times his mom decides he's going to have to cut it in the public system? Charlie (Anton Yelchin) doesn't have an axe to grind, but he's clueless about his privileged background (he even wears a blazer to school) and genuinely shocked to find his head used as a toilet plunger. Despite his checkered record Charlie is no fool. Taking stock of his assets, he realizes that he can play his multiple therapists off against each other to ascertain... Read more

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Rating breakdown

17,909 Member ratings
  • 100
2,329
  • 90
2,110
  • 80
3,953
  • 70
3,165
  • 60
2,612
  • 50
1,454
  • 40
956
  • 30
585
  • 20
499
  • 10
246

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    • Director Wes Anderson's follow-up to the acclaimed BOTTLE ROCKET is a funny, warmhearted, and extremely sharp American response to the English Angry Young Man films of the 1960s, right down to its ...