Bottle Rocket (1996)

Three friends plan to pull off a simple robbery and go on the run.

Director:

Wes Anderson

Writers:

Owen Wilson (as Owen C. Wilson), Wes Anderson

Stars:

Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Ned Dowd

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

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
Brian Tenenbaum	...	H. Clay Murchison
Jenni Tooley	...	Stacy Sinclair
Temple Nash	...	Temple
Dipak Pallana	...	Bookstore Employee
Darryl Cox	...	Bookstore Manager
Stephen Dignan	...	Rob
Lumi Cavazos	...	Inez
Julie Mayfield	...	Wife in Motelroom

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

texas | caper | dark comedy | motel | escapade | 

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Taglines:

They're not really criminals, but everybody's got to have a dream.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

James L. Brooks insisted that major work be done on the script, so he had Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson flown to Los Angeles and set up in an office on one hundred dollars a day. Having never flown first class in his life, Wilson tried to exchange his prearranged first class plane ticket for a coach ticket, hoping to pocket the difference in cash instead. When the airline told him the money would just go back to the credit card of who bought the ticket, he gave in and flew first class for the first time (source: "The Making of Bottle Rocket" featurette on the Criterion release).

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Goofs

The room Dignan and the boys stay in is a non-smoking room, there is a big white sign on the door. After Dignan is beaten up and they're back in the room, Inez leaves and you see the sign on the door. Anthony leaves a second later, and the sign is gone.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Anthony: Hey, Dr Nichols, I was just coming down to say goodbye...

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Connections

Referenced in Dinner for Five: Episode #2.10 (2003)

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Soundtracks

Mambo Guajiro
Written & Performed by René Touzet
Courtesy of GNP Crescendo Records
By Arrangement with Ocean Park Music Group
Published by Skyview Music Corp.

User Reviews

Bottle Rocket, good launch pad for ANDERSON.

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

21 February 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bottle Rocket

Filming Locations:

Hinckley Cold Storage - 4008 Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$124,118, 25 February 1996

Gross USA:

$560,069

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$560,069

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Gracie Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1