FFVP review - Rushmore

RUSHMORE

In 1996, a small picture called "Bottle Rocket" opened to modest reviews. The plot centered on a couple of good hearted friends, Dignan and Anthony(Owen & Luke Wilson), who set out on a series of escapades that had as much spark as the movie’s title would indicate. It was much ado about nothing, but the off center characters and their skewed vision of the world left anyone who saw it with a smile that wouldn’t quit. Imagine a twentyish man with the mind of an impetuous teenager who voluntarily entered a mental health facility, acting out an escape on the day he’s set to sign himself out and you’ll get an idea of what the rest of the movie is like. Every mundane act is imagined as the adventure of a lifetime, from the clasp of a handshake to the big caper with a likable con man that gets them into more trouble than they can handle. Writer/director - Wes Anderson and co-author - Owen Wilson, have given their latest creation, Max Fischer, the same zest for life that characterized the friends in "Bottle Rocket" but with an edge - a very sharp edge - in "Rushmore."

Fifteen year old Max Fischer attacks everything he does with a vengeance. Everything, that is, except his studies. He’s too busy starting clubs and fund raisers. It’s as if he’s trying to pack a lifetime of experience in his few short pubescent years. Max is interested in Everything! Especially a first grade teacher named Rosemary Cross. The way Max imaginatively navigates his self imposed obligations leaves no doubt that he is a genius, however misguided. In Max’s world, friendship and loyalty are not treated lightly. So when Herman Blume(Bill Murray), a Rushmore benefactor, and emotionally bereft industrialist takes a shine to the kid, and then betrays him by having the audacity to fall in love with Miss Cross, it’s war.

"Rushmore" rushes off into uncharted territory exploring the hopes and needs of three people - Max, Rosemary, and Herman - who have lost some measure of their selves, either through some personal loss or betrayal. Their stories are humorously revealed through some hilarious set pieces played out with vengeful glee, like Max funneling bees into Herman’s office, and Herman running his car over Max’s bike(I’m not giving anything away here - they’re in the trailer). Max becomes more like the no-holds-barred Herman; and Herman re-discovers the emotional charge that propelled him in youth. He finds himself resorting to childish retribution. Meanwhile, poor Rosemary is stuck in the middle of the two factions - a kid who wants to be a man, and a man who wants to make amends for a misspent life. Each has some quality that draws her to them for friendship and solace, while her nurturing instinct acts like a magnet for Max and Herman. The road to friendly reconciliation leads them to a place of hopeful resignation and the recognition of each other’s needs.

The most remarkable thing about "Rushmore" is the compassion that pours out of every scene. Each character is so finely etched that their individual stories seem linked together like little stage productions in the self contained universe of the theater. The movie even begins and ends with stage curtains opening and closing at the screen’s imaginary proscenium. It’s Wes Anderson’s way of identifying himself as a self styled Max who puts on his own show, in this case a movie, called "Rushmore." I’m sure it’s a technique that’s been used many times before. "The Little Theater of Jean Renoir" with its overlapping stories by the acclaimed French director comes immediately to mind.

Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray are wonderful as Max and Herman, the yin and yang of childhood longing, while Olivia Williams’ Rosemary is the fulcrum around whom they play their mind games. The contribution of the other players who strut and fret on "Rushmore"’s cinematic stage cannot be underestimated. They are the stars and planets that add luster to the enclosed universe of Wes Anderson’s and Owen Wilson’s imagination. Seymour Cassel, a veteran of John Cassavetes’ early films, is Max’s down to earth father, Bert. Brian Cox is Rushmore’s befuddled principal who, despite his affection for Max, must tow the ‘party line’ when it comes to academics. And Mason Gamble is Dirk, the best friend whose feelings are forgotten in Max’s bid for Rosemary. He has a few key scenes that humbles both Max and Herman. Dirk tells it like it is!

In retrospect, it seems Wes and Owen have taken many of the same ideas from "Bottle Rocket" and blown them up to bigger than life proportions without sacrificing the humanity that made their first film such a pleasant surprise. "Rushmore" starts off like a front runner and crosses the finish line with a bang - a Max Fischer, over the top, stage production of a Viet Nam War love story complete with pyrotechnics and earplugs. If "Bottle Rocket" was about a couple of guys who let off a few sparks, then "Rushmore" is about a group of people who set off explosions of heartfelt emotion. "Rushmore" has a poignancy that’s hard to ignore. It’s a winner!