Best friends Anthony, Dignan and Bob stage a wildly complex robbery of a small bookstore, and go on the run. During their escapades, Anthony falls in love with a housekeeper and they befriend local thief extraordinaire, Mr Henry.
Wes Anderson's 1996 debut feature film is based around his 13-minute black and white short film of the same name from 1992. It's a charming, hilarious and affectionate look at a group of young friends who think that their lives have to be filled with risk and danger in order to be real.
This is the film that put Wes Anderson, and the Wilson brothers (Owen and Luke) on the map. It has the early makings of the now trademark Anderson sensibility – displaying the simple joys and interactions between people, with brilliant use of an evocative soundtrack.
Bottle Rocket is screening as part of the Showroom's Westival, a season of all of Wes Anderson's previous feature films, to celebrate the release of his new film The Phoenician Scheme.
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