Bottle Rocket, acclaimed filmmaker Wes Andersen's directoral debut, has proven to be an archetype for an entire generation of emerging filmmakers. Andersen's subtle, first-person filmmaking style, unique in 1996 and very recognizable to this day, set a precendent for independent filmmakers everywhere, and opened up the independent world to mainstream audiences.
Perhaps what made Andersen stand out so prominently is his mastery of subtlety. Hollywood has long been lampooned as too brash, too obvious and criciticized for leaving little to the imagination. Directors such as Michael Bay, with his trademark constant explosions and over-the-top fight scenes have not helped Hollywood's perceived lack of artistic integrity. Along came Andersen and his contemporaries--with a trademark minimalist dialogue, long takes on unexpressive actors, and a slower moving storyline, often divided into chapters. Revolutionary, and now often imitated.
Bottle Rocket hits all of Andersen's trademarks. The Wilsons do a great job pulling off their disollusioned, disenchanted characters of best friends Anthony and Dignan. The supporting cast, a bizarre accroutment of sordid characters, all pull off their roles with aplomb, never once leaving the audience's intrigue to wane.
Andersen's cast seem to all suffer one problem: they are all stuck in the throes of adolescence, despite all being in their mid or late 20's. Bob is living in his parent's home, and constantly tormented by his older brother. Anthony decided he didn't want to answer any watersports-related questions and essentially ran away to a mental hospital. Dignan, the most energetic of the group, devises a plan for a heist to gain the acceptence of an employer that fired him.
Each character is searching for something, and all the character's quests become wrapped up in the master plan of Dignan's heist. Along the way, each comes to wrestle with their own individual problem, on the way to a final confrontation with Dignan's own inadequacies.
Bottle Rocket truly set the precedent for a new generation of filmmakers, who want to tell deeply personal and beautiful stories rather than pack as much high-emotion-energy into an hour and a half as possible. Truly, I don't feel as though films such as The Battle of Shaker Heights, Garden State, and even some of Andersen's later and better known works could have existed without Bottle Rocket carving out a little niche for the storyteller/filmmakers of today.