Bottle-Rocket is a comedy crime film directed by Wes Anderson. The plot follows a trio of Texan friends who try to pull of a series of crimes to disastrous all-around results.
I find Wes Anderson films are at their best when they full embrace the kitsch eccentric Anderson aesthetic, and this one doesn’t do that. It is by far the most straight lace of all of Anderson’s filmography thus far. I found it to be a little rough around the edges, though I did find that added to the charm as the film progressed.
The Wilson Brothers were on top form here and I found them both to be quite compelling, I thought the interplay their characters had added nicely to the film and created a believable bond. Of the two I would say that Luke outperformed Owen, as Owen’s character is a little overdone, he is played up to a ridiculous extreme.
I thought the side stuff and world building elements were used well, and clearly set a pace for what we come to see of Anderson in the future. I enjoyed the romance between Luke Wilson’s character and Lumi Cavazos’ Inez, I found it to be a good emotional core for the film as well as his character. The two had believable chemistry and you want to see them end up together.
Overall, it is a rough start, but still a film that shows a lot of promise
Pros.
The Wilson Brothers
The world and the dialogue
The romance
Cons.
Lacking the Anderson eccentric
Owen Wilson’s character is a little overplayed
3/5
Reviewed by Luke
Another Millennial Reviewer 