Bottle Rocket (1996) directed by Wes Anderson

Bottle Rocket is one of those films that, depending on who you are, might seem pointless or full of purpose. It's up for debate. However, this debate alone gives the film purpose. So, for all those who are willing to say that it is without a point, are in fact wrong.

In the early 90's, director Wes Anderson met co-writer/friend Owen Wilson in a play writing class at The University of Texas, Austin. They started writing together and came to the idea that their generation needed a new voice, something to represent the mentality of the post gen-ex youth. In 1994, they filmed a short about it called Bottle Rocket.

Bottle Rocket made it's way to the Sundance Film Festival but didn't make much of a splash. However, a few people in the business were charmed by it. Not long after, They were offered a deal to make it a full length feature. The full length was quietly released in 1996. However, it has built a fairly large cult following and can even be seen on Comedy Central.

Now, back to the point of the film. Though it's a bit subjective, I believe it's a story about the friendship of 3 men and the failure these friends have to be normal working young men. Rather than follow conventional life style, they choose to be criminals on the run instead, but fail at that as well. Another point of this film is that the main characters have no point in life. They are just trying to find one. Themeatically, it's quite funny.

Bottle Rocket features Owen & Luke Wilson in their first acting roles. Owen's character, Dignan, is the enthusiastic crime planner for their gang. Luke's character, Anthony, is a true friend of Dignan, but only a follower when it comes to Dignan's wild crime plans. While Dignan is obsessed with the idea of being a fugitive, Anthony is fixated on the woman of his dreams. Both obsessions lead them to a crossroads where their friendship is put on hold.

For director Wes Anderson, this is an excellent debut. Though evidence of his style and talent was highly magnified in his second film, Rushmore, it's clear that the roots are in Bottle Rocket. Wes is brilliant when it comes to the colors in his films. His choice of colors for characters and settings are huge elements that add to the richness of his films. For an example, the opening scene shows Luke Wilson in his hospital(resort) room, tying a bunch of different colored bedsheets together. He does this so he can escape out of his 2nd story room. The shutters are open and he flings the sheets out into the open air where they beautifully stretch out into the sunny atmosphere, exposing their true colors. The camera shows this in first person, a trade mark of Wes Anderson. There are a lot of similar subtle moments. The humor is subtle as well. At times, there is a lot of dialogue, or no dialogue. Wes Anderson has a great ear as well. His musical choices are perfectly fitting. Bottle Rocket is full of exotic tunes. It's a mixture of jazz and rock, no stranger to Wes Anderson's films.

Bottle Rocket is an unconventional comedy that becomes better and funnier with each viewing.

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