Review of Bottle Rocket (1996) by Alex S — 22 Apr 2009

This one is a bit of a mixed blessing. On one hand, it is a fairly honest and entertaining look at friendship that launched Wes Anderson and the Wilson brothers. On the other hand, it is a meandering work that rushes its climactic moment and launched Owen Wilson's career.

So it's a double-edged sword but boy is it entertaining. Luke Wilson leaves a mental hospital (why he was there is never explicitly explained), teams up with his friend Dignan (Owen Wilson), enlists Bob (Robert Musgrave) as a getaway driver and robs a bookstore before falling in love with the maid at a motel the trio stops at while fleeing potential arrests.

That's basically the crux of things (James Caan masterminds the finale's last heist... sort of... but this whole scenario is kind of just "there") but the parts are so much greater than the whole.

Sharp dialog (not "Rushmore" sharp, alas) and odd characters (Bob's brother is named "Future Man" for some reason) mix with an eclectic soundtrack and on-site locations. And if you live in central Texas, keep your eyes open for familiar sights (Hillsboro! Brookhaven Country Club! That other place with those things!).