(Mia Usman/Staff Illustrator)
The day was Feb. 21, 1996. The song “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men topped the Billboard Hot 100. John Woo’s “Broken Arrow,” starring John Travolta and Christian Slater, enjoyed its second week as the biggest film at the box office. And filmmaker Wes Anderson released his debut feature film, “Bottle Rocket,” starring first-time actors Luke Wilson and Owen Wilson.
“Bottle Rocket” is in some ways a classic Anderson movie. Featuring off-kilter dialogue with unconventional dry humor, the story follows semi-incompetent criminals Anthony Adams (Luke Wilson) and Dignan (Owen Wilson) as they attempt a heist to steal money from a storage facility’s safe. Moments of both absurdity and love and passion often occur simultaneously, creating an eccentric tone for the film.
Anderson would go on to direct 10 more feature films throughout the next two and a half decades, earning eight Academy Award nominations. Elements such as heists, a distinctive sense of comedy and bizarre romances are staples of the director’s works. The heist in “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009), the dry comedy of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014) and the odd romances in “Rushmore” (1998) and “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001) are all reminiscent of “Bottle Rocket.”
Despite these similarities, “Bottle Rocket” stands alone in Anderson’s filmography for its looser, less stylized feel. Anderson, who is known for his sets looking more like dollhouses than real-life locations, took a pretty standard approach to his debut film’s setting. In “The French Dispatch” (2021), every shot feels like Anderson spent hours curating each detail, while “Bottle Rocket” feels much more haphazard. Similarly, in Anderson’s other films, he often makes use of dolly shots and quick pans with precise framing in every shot. However, “Bottle Rocket” feels like it was made with less intentional cinematography. The movie, while well-made, lacks Anderson’s classic style. A few insert shots in the film feel like future-Anderson is reaching into the movie, but on the whole, “Bottle Rocket” looks like a generic indie movie from the ’90s.
Although it does not live up to the excellency of Anderson’s future films, “Bottle Rocket”is still an impressive debut feature. It is an idiosyncratic film, with a loose plot centering around a former mental hospital patient and his friend trying to make a name for themselves in the world of theft. While it sounds like a serious movie, “Bottle Rocket” constantly subverts the audience’s expectations. For example, viewers see Dignan set up a rope for Anthony to escape the psychiatric unit, only to learn that Anthony is being legitimately discharged. They quickly pull off their first heist in a well-edited, seemingly intense scene. However, the audience later realizes that the pair has only robbed Anthony’s childhood home. These moments of setting up the audience’s expectations but then pulling the rug out from under them keep the viewer constantly engaged in the plot.
While the Wilson brothers have clear chemistry and mesh well with Anderson’s direction, the same cannot be said for the rest of the cast, which feels forgettable. Every Anderson film nowadays has a star-studded cast. For example, Margot Robbie played a one-scene part in Anderson’s latest film, “Asteroid City” (2023). The director is now so noteworthy that he can pull in the lead of last year’s highest grossing film for a small bit-part in his movies.
Other than a small performance from James Caan, “Bottle Rocket” does not feature any other noteworthy pieces of acting. The Wilson brothers’ specific, memorable performances make the rest of the actors seem lackluster in comparison. The brothers would go on to be key collaborators with Anderson for the next two decades, seen in “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (2004).
Anderson’s debut is certainly an imperfect film, but it lays the groundwork for the rest of his filmography well. While his visual style was not yet developed in “Bottle Rocket,” small glimpses toward the manicured aesthetic of his future work lay within the film. It is an interesting, albeit slightly disappointing, film from a soon-to-be extraordinary filmmaker.
