Bottle Rocket
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Movie Reviews of Bottle Rocket
Movie Review: BOTTLE ROCKET is a joy to watch - if you're on the ball.
Summary: 5 Stars
BOTTLE ROCKET, directed by Wes Anderson, rewards intelligence. Is that elitist? Maybe. But in a world of candy-coated feed-it-to-me-in-the-simplest-of-ways movies, BOTTLE ROCKET is a gem which you have to examine every facet. And Owen Wilson's Dignan is a comic masterpiece. I would love to see another Dignan movie.What's the plot? Basically, it's about three friends who decide to be bank robbers. Anthony (Luke Wilson), who has just checked himself out of a mental institution, is friends with Dignan, a man-child who dreams of being a bigtime thief. Bob is their other friend, the getaway driver, mostly given that position because he's the only person they know with a car. Together the three live a life of crime, basically because there doesn't seem to be all that much else to do.
What sets this movie apart from other crime films is the warm center at its heart. The film cares about Dignan, Anthony, and Bob. And it goes out of its way to say that being a dreamer is not only okay in this world, it's a preferred way of life.
This film was written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, who also co-wrote the brilliant RUSHMORE and next year's THE ROYAL TANENBAUMS. In my opinion, they are the best writers in Hollywood today. Some of the lines of dialogue should all be on a T-Shirt somewhere. "On the run from Johnny Law...ain't no trip to Cleveland!" "They'll never catch me, man, because I'm &%*#&%# innocent!" "Could you please give me the money...sir?"
This movie is the keepers.
Movie Review: The First Wes Anderson Instant Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
I believe this movie will be remembered for a long time. It didn't make the "bang" with the public that it should have, but that's ok, it would have detracted from the whole ambiance of the film about enthusiastic criminal-wannabes.A lot of people will say things like "this was stupid" or "what's all the 'hype' about?", but I guarantee you one of two things. 1) They didn't understand the total deadpan hilariousness of the movie, its wonderfully understated brilliance, 2) they can only laugh at blatantly, extrovertly funny people like Jim Carrey.
If you have the patience to actually listen to the dialogue in this movie instead of having the humor hit you over the head, you will get a great reward. Excellent, witty comments, hilarious plans, and wonderful performances. Dignan saying that Bob "...has no character man..." when he wanted to go help his brother in jail almost killed me I was laughing so hard.
PLEASE give this movie an HONEST chance. Don't go in expecting to have everything spelled out for you, this is a very sly comedy.
FOR DVD buyers: The DVD could use a lot more extras on it. I hope that Criterion will provide a treatment of this classic as they did the other amazing Anderson movie, "Rushmore". However, the DVD is double-sided, providing pan-and-scan as well as widescreen. The picture is crisp as usual and the sound is fairly rich IMO. It's 2/5 stars as far as DVD's go, but 10/5 for the movie! :)
Movie Review: Great Indie film!
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is probably starting to make its way to mainstream with the commercial success of the Wilson brothers, Luke and Owen.
This film is perhaps one of the best independent films I have ever seen. Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson (who co-wrote with Owen W. and directed the film) paired on several films of less-than-popular stature. All of them are quirky at worst and extremely entertaining at best. As a note, I would recommend all of them as spectacular, with slight hesitation on "The Royal Tannenbaums".
This film in particular was a showcase of how good writing can make up for subpar acting. The actors in this movie were not great, but the story, the words, they were fantastic. Basically, a guy gets bored with life and wants some adventure and he drags his buddies along as he attempts to become a criminal. Things don't go as planned, but the results are very funny.
I am not a huge fan of big hollywood type films, so I have lost interest in most of the films of the Wilson brothers, but this one shows brilliance when they were unknown.
A very intelligent, funny film. It is not a slapstick comedy, so don't rent it if you are expecting "Tommy Boy" or "Happy Gilmore". If you like quirky comedies, comedies that make you think, in the vein of "Waiting for Guffman", "Drop Dead Gorgeous", "A Mighty Wind" or "Rushmore", then this is a perfect fit for you; buy it. If you want a 3 Stooges type comedy, you can look elsewhere; this one is more low key.
Movie Review: The birth of my appreciation for the Wilson brothers
Summary: 5 Stars
The Indie film industry is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. Indie movies range from low-brow to high-intensity to semi-porn to down-home. This paragraph has nothing to do with Bottle Rocket except for the fact that in the chocolate box that is Independent Film, Bottle Rocket is the one you always hope for, but rarely come across.Bottle Rocket is cleverly written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, and even more ingeniously ad-libbed by Owen Wilson and his brother Luke. Family chemistry can be a great thing, and in Bottle Rocket, it's spectacular. If Owen Wilson one of the best comic performances of the '90s, it's partially due to the fact that Luke Wilson gives a wonderful straight-man performance. The dialogue is hilarious and quotable, the secondary characters are entertaining, the story is unpredictable, and it's a treat to see the Wilson Brothers together on screen.
Bottle Rocket is a gem of an Indie movie -- hilarious, unconventional, and with a great Un-Hollywood quality. If you haven't seen it -- put it on your "Must Rent" list. If you have seen it, see it again! If you liked Owen Wilson in this movie, check him out in the new Jackie Chan movie Shanghai Noon. The role was written as a stock Cowboy character, but Owen Wilson rewrote it and did some great improv to make it one of the most delightful performances of the year.
Movie Review: ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT COMEDIES OF THE LAST 10 YEARS
Summary: 5 Stars
An incredible movie with dialogue nearly on par with "The Big Lebowski." A review on the box says "Reservoir Geeks," but anyone who comes away with only that impression has been lured by the Hollywood hook and really misses the depth of this film.Amongst the many brilliant one-liners and silly cite gags (there are lots!) is a truly profound story of friendship, sacrifice and the importance of following your dreams. Disillusioned with the vanity and idleness of "laying out by the boat house" with sorority girls, Anthony Adams (Luke Wilson) "goes nuts" but is able to resurrect himself by helping his bumbling friend Dignan live out his oddball dreams. In the end Anthony and Dignan are exactly where they dreamed they'd be even though one's in jail and the other dating a housekeeper who can't speak English.
If nothing else, this movie is worth watching only to see Owen Wilson play Dignan, who is easily one of the best comedic characters of the last decade. Wilson plays the character as well as anyone could, which is no surprise since he also co-wrote the film with Wes Anderson, who is himself one of the hottest young director's in Hollywood. A cast of fresh faces (minus James Caahn, who's fantastic), great performances, and a remarkable screenplay make this an absolute must for fans of the modern, 20-something comedy and beyond.