Bottle Rocket (1996)

All Critics (45) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (38) | Rotten (9) | DVD (15)

Works on its own modest, limited terms and, despite the obvious fun involved, never feels self-indulgent.

January 1, 2000 Full Review

Joe Baltake

Sacramento Bee

Top Critic

I can't recommend the film -- it's too unwound and indulgent -- but I have a certain affection for it, and I'm looking forward to whatever Anderson and the Wilsons do next.

January 1, 2000 Full Review | Comments (15)

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

A mildly facetious tone limits Anderson's film to the lightweight, but the collective enthusiasm behind this debut effort still comes through.

January 1, 2000 Full Review

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

A little deal, this movie is like a bottle rocket itself: a big bang for the money.

January 1, 2000

Mike Clark

USA Today

Top Critic

Gets by on quirky charm and slacker chic -- but just barely.

January 1, 2000 Full Review

Rita Kempley

Washington Post

Top Critic

Starts and finishes strong, but, somewhere in the middle, it loses its focus and its way.

January 1, 2000 Full Review | Comment (1)

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Top Critic

The first Anderson/Wilson offbeat, talky comedy.

December 31, 2010 Full Review

Sandie Angulo Chen

Common Sense Media

While nowhere near the same level as Anderson's subsequent films, Bottle Rocket nonetheless provides a sweet, funny look at a young director finding his voice.

December 16, 2008 Full Review

Matt Noller

Slant Magazine

If Bottle Rocket is to be remembered for anything in Anderson's body of work, it should be as the film that gave the director the power and name recognition to continue making the films he wanted to make.

December 16, 2008 Full Review

Matt Noller

Slant Magazine

Though flawed, Bottle Rocket is full of buried treasures and holds up to repeated viewings, as any cult film should. [Criterion Blu-ray]

December 14, 2008 Full Review | Comment (1)

Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews

Owen Wilson is a riot as the mentally unbalanced inept middle-class thief.

May 6, 2008 Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

...hysterical stuff, even if it only hints at the creative level Wilson and Anderson would reach next with Rushmore.

October 4, 2007 Full Review

Josh Larsen

Sun Publications (Chicago, IL)

Apesar de perder o foco em seu segundo ato, conta com uma introdução divertida e, em seu terço final, traz um dos assaltos mais hilários do Cinema norte-americano.

July 9, 2006

Pablo Villaca

Cinema em Cena

Dry, droll and really very funny.

April 2, 2005

Scott Weinberg

eFilmCritic.com

Anderson's first foray into style-over-substance comedies

February 4, 2005 | Comment (1)

Jon Niccum

Lawrence Journal-World

Wes Anderson's first film -- and a fascinating indicator of what was to come.

January 26, 2005

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

One of the best films of 1996.

July 30, 2004 Full Review

Thomas Delapa

Boulder Weekly

• 1. Kumar: Man, I blew it. I blew it, man.
  2. Anthony Adams: Kumar, what were you doing in the freezer?
  3. Kumar: I don't know, man. I loose my touch, man.
  4. Dignan: Did you ever have a touch to loose, man?
  – Submitted by Alex F (10 months ago)
• 1. Anthony Adams: So the word on the street is... I heard you love me.
  – Submitted by Chad E (11 months ago)
• 1. Anthony Adams: The preparation was good. I think that is your specialty.
  – Submitted by Chad E (11 months ago)
• 1. Bob Mapplethorpe: I really want to be a part of this team.. and I'm the only one with a car.
  – Submitted by Alyssa A (13 months ago)

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