Movie · 1987 · Comedy, Crime · 1h 34m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 7.5/10 (483.2K ratings)
Their lawless years are behind them. Their child-rearing years lay ahead...
Overview
When a childless couple—an ex-con and an ex-cop—take one of a wealthy family’s quintuplets to raise as their own, their lives grow more complicated than anticipated.
Ratings
Curator score: 7.5/10
IMDb: 7.3/10
Letterboxd: 3.87/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Metacritic: 69
TMDB: 7.1/10
Director
Joel Coen
Production
Circle Films
Cast
Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson, John Goodman, William Forsythe, Sam McMurray, Frances McDormand, Randall 'Tex' Cobb, T.J. Kuhn, Lynne Kitei, Peter Benedek, Charles 'Lew' Smith, Warren Keith, Henry Kendrick, Sidney Dawson, Richard Blake, Troy Nabors, Mary Seibel, John O'Donnal, Keith Jandacek
Curator Review
Verdict
A wildly confident crime comedy with a surreal streak, Raising Arizona is fast, inventive, and endlessly quotable. Its manic energy, visual precision, and oddball tenderness make it a standout Coen brothers film that still feels fresh.
Best for
fans of offbeat crime comedies
viewers who like stylized, highly quotable filmmaking
people who enjoy absurd humor with a surprisingly sweet core
audiences open to eccentric performances and cartoonish violence
Skip if
you want grounded realism
you dislike broad, heightened comedy
you need a straightforward plot
you prefer dark material without whimsy
Overview
Raising Arizona is one of those comedies that feels like it’s moving at the speed of a joke. The Coens build a world where every line, gesture, and camera move is tuned for comic impact, but the film never loses its sense of craft. It’s slapstick, crime caper, and fairy tale all at once, with a visual style that makes even the silliest moments feel meticulously designed.
Worth noting
What gives it staying power is the emotional undercurrent beneath the chaos. The story is ridiculous on its face, yet the film keeps circling back to loneliness, longing, and the desperate wish to make a family. That mix of manic absurdity and genuine feeling is what turns it from a cult favorite into something more durable.
Bottom line
The performances are a huge part of the appeal, especially the elastic lead turn and the deadpan support around it. If the humor lands for you, it lands hard; if not, the movie can feel like a fever dream. But for most viewers, it’s a near-perfect example of a comedy with a real point of view.
Top Letterboxd reviews
demi adejuyigbe (5★) · 4233 likes
One of the best shot comedies I’ve ever seen. The chase scene is incredible and everything that follows is absolutely flawless. Immensely quotable too! I can’t believe this was their second film? It’s made so confidently in every way, the script is perfect, every one of the performances is perfect, their style feels so established already. Gonna go back in time and beat my own ass for thinking it was “fine” the first time around. I wonder how many times Ryan Gosling has seen this film.
Karsten (3.5★) · 3418 likes
The way Nic Cage delivered the line "I'll be takin' these Huggies and whatever cash you got".....perfection.
sophie (3.5★) · 2903 likes
day 1 of self-isolation: i am attracted to nicolas cage. i fear i have become insane already.
liam f (5★) · 2490 likes
if Nicolas Cage's hairstyle in this film alone isn't worth five stars, I don't know what is
1998 · Crime, Drama, Thriller · 2h 1m · R · Curator 8.0/10 (147.9K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Less comic, but it shares the Coens’ interest in ordinary people making catastrophic choices under pressure.