Bottle Rocket

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2:43

Bottle Rocket

R

1996

1h 31m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

73 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In Wes Anderson's first feature film, Anthony has just been released from a mental hospital, only to find his wacky friend Dignan determined to begin an outrageous crime spree. After recruiting their neighbor, Bob, the team embarks on a road trip in search of Dignan's previous boss, Mr. Henry. But the more they learn, the more they realize that they do not know the first thing about crime.

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Critics Consensus

Bottle Rocket is Reservoir Dogs meets Breathless with a West Texas sensibility.

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David Hunter

The Hollywood Reporter

Feb 21, 2018

The performers look like they're having a lot of fun, but there is a great deal of skill on display.

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Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

Mar 4, 2014

A confident, eccentric debut about a trio of shambling and guileless friends who become the Candides of crime, Rocket feels particularly refreshing because it never compromises on its delicate deadpan sensibility.

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Bruce Diones

The New Yorker

Mar 4, 2014

[Bottle Rocket] meanders pleasantly, like a road movie, with a seventies-style, anything-goes offhandedness that whisks the audience through the rough spots.

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Sarah Ward

Concrete Playground

Oct 16, 2025

Establishes many of the filmmaker's trademarks from the outset — including his penchant for witty interactions, as well as his love of dressing his characters in coordinated outfits.

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Joe Leydon

The Moving Picture Show

Nov 9, 2023

In tone, style and content, this quirky little movie recalls the low-key comedies of Bill Forsythe ("Local Hero," "Housekeeping"), the poet laureate of melancholy whimsy.

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Farah Cheded

A Good Movie To Watch

Sep 29, 2023

Wes Anderson’s debut might lack the meticulous visual style he's synonymous with, but it's full of the charm and understated emotion we love him for.

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Craig W

@CJWolfe27 Aug 14, 2026

Really good movie, where a lot of people got there start

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Oggie B

@OGDawg Aug 11, 2026

Before Wes Anderson became synonymous with immaculate compositions, eccentric families, deadpan dialogue, and meticulously curated worlds, there was Bottle Rocket: loose, funny, imperfect, and deeply human. Its modesty is part of its charm. It feels like a film made by people who were still figuring things out, which is precisely why it feels so alive. Bottle Rocket is ultimately about the beautiful foolishness of believing your life can become something more.

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Sponge B

@RT02640473 Jul 25, 2026

pretty good movie, interesting, only funny at the end. interesting characters. interesting concept.

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Erik B

@Atma-X Mar 30, 2026

A charming, meandering film about a trio of listless young men who are yearning for adventure. Very much indicative of Wes Anderson's style, but maybe one of his most "normal" movies. What the hell kinda name is Dignan?

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Tyler P.

@TylerPhoenixMD Dec 20, 2025

I don’t care what anyone says this movie is a classic. It’s the beginnings of some of the best movies! You can tell all the inspiration that comes from it.

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Woodruff F

@Woodrufffoley Dec 2, 2025

The best and only good Wes Anderson film ha ha

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Wes Anderson

Director

Owen Wilson

Dignan

Luke Wilson

Anthony Adams

Robert Musgrave

Bob Mapplethorpe

Andrew Wilson

John Mapplethorpe (Future Man)

Lumi Cavazos

Inez

Bottle Rocket: Official Clip - The Job Falls Apart

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Bottle Rocket: Official Clip - Keep the Gun on the Table!

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Bottle Rocket: Official Clip - It Was for Exhaustion

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Bottle Rocket: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In Wes Anderson's first feature film, Anthony has just been released from a mental hospital, only to find his wacky friend Dignan determined to begin an outrageous crime spree. After recruiting their neighbor, Bob, the team embarks on a road trip in search of Dignan's previous boss, Mr. Henry. But the more they learn, the more they realize that they do not know the first thing about crime.

Director: Wes Anderson
Producer: Cynthia Hargrave, Polly Platt
Screenwriter: Owen Wilson, Wes Anderson
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Gracie Films, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 21, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 18, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $488.6K
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR

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