Something is amiss in “Bottle Rocket” that distinguishes it from other cool caper films. Other films offer high-tech gadgetry and special effects; these would-be professionals use the equipment comparable to your childhood utility belt. The results are comparable to if your local tavern buddy decided to knock off a 7-11.
The good part of this film is that it doesn’t pretend to have its robbers be anything spectacular; the full intention is to make them as inept and cracked as possible. Saturday’s midnight movie is the first offering from Wes Anderson (“Royal Tenenbaums”) and offers the viewer a peek into his emerging humor.
Having just “escaped” from his mental-breakdown-induced stay at an institution, Anthony (Luke Wilson, “Royal Tenenbaums”) is looking for a new start at life, while his friend Dignan (Owen Wilson, “Zoolander”) has different plans. As a matter of fact, Dignan has their next 50 years charted nicely and neatly on a notebook, all to be spring-boarded after their initiation into the gang of Mr. Henry (James Caan, “Misery”).
The completion of the first robbery leaves them on the lam, in hiding, where Anthony meets a possible love interest and starts to notice that life is going a little differently from the plan. When Dignan comes around with another proposal for the next caper, Anthony has to start making choices that will affect everyone around him. The results are unexpected, and Anderson makes sure to take viewers on a very colorful journey before reaching the end.
If you have ever seen “Rushmore” or “The Royal Tenenbaums,” the aim of Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson’s script is clear: They want to make viewers laugh, but not in the same fashion that mainstream cinema uses to push buttons. Rather, they employ an offbeat humor that has viewers paying attention to everything in the frame. While dialogue is going on in the foreground, never forget to pay attention to background action, where sometimes the results pay off in spades.
Trying not to give anything away, the greatest performance in this film comes from co-writer Owen Wilson’s portrayal of the oblivious Dignan. Deadpanning some scenes that would have other people acting over the edge, it’s this exact aspect that gives Wilson’s performance such weight. Dignan’s absolutely mind-boggling decisions are made with absolute conviction, but not because of slack-jawed yokel stupidity.
Wes Anderson makes a strong debut with a great mixture of shots and colors that make viewers wonder whether or not this could have been his first big shot, as it seems as if he’s been doing this for a while now. While others keep to soundtracks with techno beats and “Get Shorty” style, Anderson keeps the music on the eccentric side with a number of scenes to just soundtrack picks.
When Dignan takes Anthony to the first meeting with Mr. Henry, he is plainly the odd man out. Clad in yellow rain suit, Dignan sticks out among the green background in the same way Anderson makes his films stand out from the rest of the Hollywood pack.
“Bottle Rocket” is playing Saturday at midnight in the lobby of Union South.
