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Bottle Rocket
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Luke Wilson
Genre:
Comedy
Run Time: 91
min.
Release Date:
February 1996
On The Web:
Unofficial
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Wes Anderson is probably
one of my favorite quirky directors. With films such as THE LIFE
AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, and
RUSHMORE in his repertoire, I feel the “quirky” title to be
appropriate. Best known for Rushmore (1998), Anderson’s films
have a unique edge to them. Definitely not in-your-face comedy, their
impact is much dryer and subtler (I remember the nude gal in The Life
Aquatic just being there because some nudity was needed. And I
remember Bill Murray driving back and forth over his enemy’s bicycle in
Rushmore then placing it back in its bike rack and how I knew
this would influence the battle yet-to-come).
I’d never heard of BOTTLE ROCKET until somebody pointed it out to
me. Having enjoyed Rushmore tremendously, it came highly recommended.
And after watching it, I can see why.
This is early Anderson, and a film that helped launch his inimitable
movie style. Released in 1996 and starring the newly found Wilson
brothers (Luke and Owen), it goes to show that Anderson knew how to pick
a good script and good actors to round out a chuckle-fest.
Luke Wilson (MY
SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND) is no stranger to Anderson films
now, having been given the lead role here and later strong supporting
roles in The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore, Luke can celebrate his
strong Anderson film trifecta and proudly point back to his roots in
this film. Brother Owen (CARS) is one up on Luke in that he has
performed in all of those, plus The Life Aquatic.
Mental health issues abound for Anthony (Luke Wilson) and his buddy
Dignan (Owen). In fact, Anthony has just been released from a voluntary
psychiatric facility where he was resting after a nervous breakdown.
Waiting for him in the bushes (literally) is Dignan, who believes
Anthony is escaping from the psych ward instead via his own free will.
The two quickly go back to their old ways. They decide to return to a
life of petty thieving and even do dry-runs by “robbing” Anthony’s
family’s home in order to see if they still have their robbing edge.
They also decide to take on the strangest heists (from meat packing
plants to bookstores). Since neither of them own a car, though, they
have to get a driver and they pick Bob Mapplethorpe (Robert Musgrave)
simply because ...well ...he has a car. Their first felony occurs at the
aforementioned bookstore and they make quick their getaway, leaving town
and scurrying across the state. They end up at a motel in the middle of
nowheresville and decide to hold up. But the trio quickly turns sour
when a pretty young hotel maid name Inez (Lumi Cavazos) catches
Anthony’s eye. Speaking no English, the Central American goddess fails
to realize how messed up yet in love Anthony is with her (partly due to
the language barrier and partly do to Anthony’s fumbling ways).
Word eventually comes to Bob (the driver) that a family member is in
trouble and he has to return to town. Since he has the only car, Anthony
and (more importantly) Dignan, flip out, telling him he can’t leave. But
he does and leaves Anthony and Dignan stranded at the hotel (which is
fine with the love-struck Anthony). But Dignan wants to get out of
there, so he devises a plan to steal a car and return to their lives of
thievery. Not wanting to leave without his newfound love interest,
Anthony tries to convince Inez to come with them. A misunderstanding
ensues and he and Dignan are back on their debauched road. Eventually
they take on a robbery at a meat packing plant and it goes horribly.
Risking everything, eventually a choice has to be made about who stays
behind — and takes the risk of capture — and who goes free.
It is the strange and quirky (there’s that word again) that drives this
film. Owen Wilson’s character (Dignan) is obviously an extreme case of
an excessive-compulsive. He plans out items to the nth degree, ensuring
that everything is okay decades later. Anthony (Luke) struggles to
regain some sense of normalcy in his life but keeps getting dragged back
down by his bond with Dignan while being tugged the other direction by
Inez.
In the end, all turns out bizarrely well. Dignan ends up where he
belongs, Owen gets what he needs, and even Inez finds what she’s looking
for.
Certainly one of the less known Anderson films, this one still comes
highly recommended, just not as highly as his more recent works.
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Image from Bottle Rocket
DVD cost: $8.99
Purchase:
Barnes and Noble
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Twenty-one years earlier
James Caan (Mr. Henry) and Tak Kubota (Rowboat) were both in the Sam
Peckinpah film, The Killer Elite (1975).
Movie Quote: "I
really wanna be a part of this team. And I'm the only one with a car."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Bottle Rockett
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