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Title: Bottle Rocket (1996)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Luke Wilson | ... | Anthony Adams | |
| Owen Wilson | ... | Dignan (as Owen C. Wilson) | |
| Ned Dowd | ... | Dr. Nichols | |
 |
Shea Fowler | ... | Grace |
| Haley Miller | ... | Bernice | |
| Robert Musgrave | ... | Bob Mapplethorpe | |
| Andrew Wilson | ... | Future Man | |
|
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Brian Tenenbaum | ... | H. Clay Murchison |
| Jenni Tooley | ... | Stacy Sinclair | |
|
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Temple Nash | ... | Temple |
|
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Dipak Pallana | ... | Bookstore Employee |
| Darryl Cox | ... | Bookstore Manager | |
|
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Stephen Dignan | ... | Rob |
| Lumi Cavazos | ... | Inez | |
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Julie Mayfield | ... | Wife in Motelroom |
Upon his release from a mental hospital following a nervous breakdown, the directionless Anthony joins his friend Dignan, who seems far less sane than the former. Dignan has hatched a hare-brained scheme for an as-yet-unspecified crime spree that somehow involves his former boss, the (supposedly) legendary Mr. Henry. With the help of their pathetic neighbor and pal Bob, Anthony and Dignan pull a job and hit the road, where Anthony finds love with motel maid Inez. When our boys finally hook up with Mr. Henry, the ensuing escapade turns out to be far from what anyone expected. Written by Marty Cassady <martyc@bev.net>
The first and weakest of Wes Anderson's films, Bottle Rocket, is by no means a weak film. Co-written by then credited Owen C. Wilson, the screenplay is very intelligent and shows how the screen writing duo (Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson) has evolved. Starring the Wilson brothers, Owen and Luke Wilson, this small-budget comedy has what most large budget comedies lack, a perfect mix of drama and comedy. The film, about two friends that both were patients at a mental ward, portrays how innocent fun can sometimes hurt people. Rocket never becomes over-dramatic or slapstick in its comedy. It is clear that Anderson was experimenting with his style, and would not perfect it until his next film, Rushmore. The characters are clearly dysfunctional and like to take unnecessary risks at their own expense to make the script move along. This is not a fault in the script, but a blessing as this keeps the comedy and serious moments perfectly balanced. The cinematography is sometimes amateur with its unnecessary close-ups and wide angle panning. The soundtrack, done by Mark Mothersbaugh is excellent and just proves why he has worked an all of the subsequent films with Anderson. It seems Anderson and Wilson have an enormous talent when writing dialog for unusual, anomalous characters. This film is a testament to the fact that a good script, and a working knowledge of film work can create an original and enjoyable film.