Bottle Rocket (1996)

Wannabe hoodlum Dignan (Owen Wilson) convinces his pals Bob (Robert Musgrave) and Anthony (Luke Wilson) to rob a local bookstore. The trio decides to hole up in a border-town motel, where Anthony falls for a gentle housekeeper from Paraguay while they mull over their criminal future.

The quirky debut of writer/director Wes Anderson, Bottle Rocket might be his most unfocused work, but that doesn't keep Anderson's strengths from coming through. His panache for smart dialogue, unusual stories, and off the wall characters is what makes Anderson so appealing.

Debuting Owen and Luke Wilson, it's easy to see how they've both gotten so far. Owen Wilson really hijacks the film as Dignan. His shenanigans are futile, but genuine. I don't find these characters nearly as interesting as those of The Royal Tenenbaums, but the Wilson's have enough chemistry to be fun. James Caan's out-of-nowhere performance is crazy good.

Bottle Rocket doesn't have the beautiful color saturation of The Life Aquatic or The Darjeeling Limited, but the direction and execution of the film is pitch perfect. Anderson's point of view is engaging and always interesting. The robbery of the bookstore is laugh out loud funny just because of the sheer randomness.

Bottle Rocket, like all Anderson film's, has heart. It's sincere and eccentric, but ultimately is just good subdued fun.