Bottle Rocket (1996)

Monson & Yeomans Rating: 5.6/10

IMDB User Rating: 7.3/10

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Rating: 77%

Director: Wes Anderson

AllMovie Plot Summary:A bright, optimistic caper comedy from first-time director Wes Anderson, Bottle Rocket focuses on a group of young Texans aspiring to become master thieves. Their leader is Dignan (Owen C. Wilson, who also co-wrote the screenplay), an upbeat if naive charmer who convinces his friends Anthony (Wilson's brother Luke Wilson) and Bob Mapplethorpe (Robert Musgrave) to enter the crime business. After their first heist, a bizarrely-executed robbery of a local bookstore, the trio goes on the lam, taking up residence in a border hotel where Anthony falls in love with a maid played by Lumi Cavazos. When the three buddies decide that they need to return to the real world, they hook up with a master con-man (James Caan) who sends them on a daring -- if ill-concieved -- mission. (Summary by Jason Ankeny)

Ryan's Review: Part way through this movie I remember saying out loud, "I think I've seen this before." By the end of the movie I still wasn't sure if I had seen it. Thinking back (we watched this a few days ago now), I can't really remember exactly what the movie was about. Something about robbing, falling in love with a maid at a motel... but was that it? My point is that I find this movie to be somewhat forgettable and lacking in direction. It was fun, of course, because it has the Owen brothers and is a Wes Anderson film. But It wasn't as profound or as entertaining as Wes Anderson's other movies. Definitely the weakest of the bunch in my opinion. I suppose I've just come to expect a certain caliber of movie coming from Wes Anderson, and seeing his first film last probably wasn't the best way of going about it. Sure the movie was entertaining, but it wasn't anything special, either. I give this one a 3/5.

Matthew's Review: Wes Anderson's worst film. It has his style and humor in a not-yet fully developed form. It's sad that I compare it to his other films because it still isn't bad, and better than most. For instance, it is far better than "Little Miss Sunshine" which I feel got too much credit [I have now deleted my other comments because they are not about Bottle Rocket]. There was no shortage of interesting characters present in this film, and there were many entertaining moments. I only feel that the film did not come together into some sort of solid presentation of a story or piece of work in a cohesive manner. Also, I feel it wasn't refined or perfected into the type of distinguished cinema that Wes now achieves. (I have my own idea of what is classified as "distinguished", which I will not explain now). To me, Bottle Rocket has the feel of college Buddies with some original ideas coming together to make a fun film. It shows promising talent that will later be better displayed.
I give this film a 2.6/5

Monson & Yeomans Rating: 5.6/10