"Bottle Rocket (1996), the first feature by Wes Anderson has become a cult favorite, and made the names of Anderson and Wilson's (three brothers, Owen, Luke, and Andrew acted in the picture, and Owen, the self-proclaimed troublemaker co-wrote the script with Anderson) popular, and their fans waiting for more. BR is an offbeat crime/comedy about three friends, Dignan (Owen), Anthony (Luke), and Bob (Robert Musgrave) who tried to pursue the career of the professional criminals. If ever three screw-up characters were less suited for becoming tough guys, thieves or bank robbers, I am yet to see them on the screen. Of all three, Dignan takes the cake - his brazenness, ineptitude, clumsiness and lack of any sense of reality in the combination with the true believe that he was born to become a "made man" (or something like that) and that the local "godfather" Mr. Henry (James Caan in a very funny cameo) would take him and his friends seriously are absolutely adorable. Andrew Wilson, the oldest of three brothers has a small role as Bob's obnoxious older brother. I personally don't think that "Bottle Rocket" is a masterpiece and the best movie of that year but it certainly has got some very funny moments, especially in the beginning (Dignan helps Anthony to run from a mental hospital and soon they pull a job of robbing the local book store; Dignan interviews Bob for a position of a runaway driver) and in the end when three friends are sent by Mr. Henry to the biggest (and the most hilarious) heist that would be the apotheosis of their careers. Owen Wilson's Dignan is a reason enough to see the movie - so hilariously deadly serious about his absurd plans, schemes, and ideas he is.
Review of Bottle Rocket
Bottle Rocket
(1996)
"you're gonna see a side of Dignan that you haven't seen before. A sick, sadistic side
"
11 September 2007