Raising Arizona (1987)
★★★½ — Raising Arizona (1987)
Raising Arizona was the Coen brothers' second feature, arriving two years after their low-budget debut Blood Simple (1984) announced them as a serious and distinctly strange new voice in American cinema. Made for a modest $6 million through Circle Films, the picture gave Joel and Ethan considerably more room to stretch than their debut, and they used it to develop a comedic register that had no real precedent in American film at the time: broad but oddly literary, cartoonish but rooted in genuine feeling. Nicolas Cage was still in his pre-superstar period (coming off Peggy Sue Got Married and The Cotton Club), and Holly Hunter, a Coen regular, had just appeared in their short film for the anthology Coen Brothers short work. Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who would later pivot to directing (Men in Black), shot the picture with an elastic, almost animated energy that matched the script's sensibility perfectly.
Raising Arizona (1987) is pure Coen brothers madness. A wild, surreal, neon-soaked crime comedy that somehow blends slapstick, existential dread, and Southwestern folklore into something utterly unique. And at the center of it all is Nicolas Cage, in what might be his best role: Hi McDunnough, a bumbling ex-con with a heart too big for his brain, who kidnaps one of a set of quintuplets to give his wife Dolly (Holly Hunter) the family they can’t have. It’s ridiculous, heartfelt, and completely committed to its own bizarre logic. Cage is electric (equal parts cartoon criminal and lovable goofball) with his slicked-back hair, prison jumpsuit, and manic energy. Hunter matches him as the fiery, baby-obsessed cop-turned-housewife, and their chemistry is chaotic, tender, and hilarious. The film zips along on Carter Burwell’s jazzy score, stunning desert cinematography, and some of the most inventive visuals in 80s cinema. Every frame feels deliberate, from the dream sequences to the legendary high-speed chase with the shopping cart. The Coens balance absurdity and emotion perfectly, yes, it’s about baby theft, but it’s also about love, desperation, and the American dream gone feral. Not just the best Nicolas Cage film, but one of the greatest comedies of its era. A cult classic with soul, style, and more personality than ten normal movies. Wild, weird, and wonderful. One of those films that reminds you why you love cinema.
Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 1987 | Watched: 2025-10-21
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Where to watch (UK)
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK
Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Related on Movies With Macca
More from Joel Coen: Blood Simple (1984) · True Grit (2010) · Burn After Reading (2008) · Barton Fink (1991)
More with Nicolas Cage: Con Air (1997) · Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)
More from the 1980s: Nightmare City (1980) · A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Style Wars (1983) · Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)
More comedy: The Eagle (1925) · The General (1926) · Americana (2023) · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
More crime: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Angst (1983) · Stolen Face (1952) · Cairo Station (1958)
