“They’re not really criminals, but everybody’s got to have a dream.” This is the tagline for the 1996 Wes Anderson film “Bottle Rocket,” which for the most part sums up the whole premise of the movie.
The movie, which was filmed in Austin, Texas, is set in a small town. The lead characters are Anthony Adams, played by Luke Wilson, and Dignan, played by Owen Wilson in his first feature length film.
In the opening scene of the movie the audience gets a taste of what they are in for the whole movie when both Anthony and Dignan are first introduced.
Anthony is leaving a mental hospital that he voluntarily checked in to and his friend Dignan is convinced he has to escape. To appease Dignan, Anthony leaves by climbing out the window. This idea that Dignan’s huge imagination can influence his friend into doing anything he asks plays well throughout the rest of the film.
Once out of the hospital, Dignan relays a plan to start pulling off robberies so that they can impress local crime boss Mr. Henry, played by James Caan.
On the way they pick up a rich spoiled getaway driver- played perfectly by Robert Musgrave- Anthony falls in love with a hotel maid and Mr. Henry helps out with a heist.
All in all this is a solid film. It is Wes Anderson’s first film and it is easy to see the similarities between it and some of his later movies. The humor feeds off of the quirky characters Anderson creates and directs so well. This film is a must see for any Wes Anderson fan, and I would recommend it to anyone else who is a fan of quirky comedies.
