Raising Arizona (1987)
88%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: 4 nominations
A terrifically original, eccentric screwball comedy, Raising Arizona may not be the Coens’ most disciplined movie, but it’s one of their most purely entertaining
Raising Arizona is a wild ride that will have you laughing from start to finish. The Coen brothers’ unique sense of humor is on full display, and the performances are top-notch. The chase scene alone is worth the price of admission. It’s a cult classic for a reason, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out on some serious fun.
Production Company(ies)
Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios,
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Camelback Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1987
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 33m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 1, 1987 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 20, 2002
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson, John Goodman, William Forsythe, Sam McMurray, directed by Joel Coen, written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Pauline Kael, produced by Ethan Coen, PG-13, crime, family, kidnapping, Arizona, bounty hunter, ex-con, ex-cop, childless, baby, secret, friends, co-workers, Sunbelt pathology, Steadicam, Capra, Sturges, humor, eccentricity, screwball comedy, entertaining, original, disciplined, delightful, charming, quirky, cult classic, Hollywood, action, B film, uplifting, dark comedy, chaotic
Worldwide gross: $29,180,280
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $77,889,021
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,141
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,493,895
US/Canada gross: $22,847,564
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $60,985,515
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 983
US/Canada opening weekend: $36,240
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $96,733
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,945
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $6,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $16,015,409
Production budget ranking: 1,484
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $8,624,298
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $53,249,314
ROI to date (est.): 216%
ROI ranking: 604
Holly Hunter – Edwina “Ed” McDonnough
Trey Wilson – Nathan Arizona, Sr.
John Goodman – Gale Snopes
William Forsythe – Evelle Snopes
Sam McMurray – Glen
Director(s)
Joel Coen
Writer(s)
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Producer(s)
Ethan Coen
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (62) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (56) | Rotten (6)
Coens have not achieved the maturity needed to appreciate the vision of a Capra or Sturges, and their gifts are too rich and deep for the likes of Heckle and Jeckle.
May 9, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
Peter Keough
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Raising Arizona is no big deal, but it has a rambunctious charm.
January 14, 2013
Pauline Kael
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
To their old fascination with Sunbelt pathology, to their side-winding Steadicam and pristine command of screen space, the Coens have added a robust humor, a plot that keeps outwitting expectations and a…dollop of sympathy for their forlorn kidnapers.
March 13, 2009
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The cartoon vision of southwestern tackiness doesn’t cut very deep, but the mise-en-scene is packed with clever clutter.
November 6, 2007
Pat Graham
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
While film is filled with many splendid touches and plenty of yocks, it often doesn’t hold together as a coherent story.
November 6, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Starting from a point of delirious excess, the film leaps into dark and virtually uncharted territory to soar like a comet.
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
What we get from the opening sequence of ‘Raising Arizona’ is the brilliance of Burwells score, the poetic storytelling of Hi, and Sonnenfelds imposing camera work. The opening sequence to Raising Arizona could be a short film in and of itself.
April 12, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Jamie Broadnax
Black Girl Nerds
The Coen’s best pure comedy, driven by that great chase scene (35th anniversary)
March 19, 2022 | Rating: B+
Stephen Silver
Tilt Magazine
Raising Arizona is a funny, charming film with a strong visual style, delightful performances, and a unique sense of humor.
March 8, 2022
Amanda Mazzillo
Amanda Mazzillo’s Cinematic Adventures
Though Raising Arizona is one of their funniest and most accessible films, it is also among their most introspective.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
…ultimately one of the Coens’ kinder (if not gentler) efforts.
March 31, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
A delightfully singular, strikingly bizarre, and unquestionably hysterical cult comedy.
September 7, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
Recidivist hold-up man H.I. McDonnough and police woman Edwina marry, only to discover they are unable to conceive a child. Desperate for a baby, the pair decide to kidnap one of the quintuplets of furniture tycoon Nathan Arizona. The McDonnoughs try to keep their crime secret, while friends, co-workers and a feral bounty hunter look to use Nathan Jr. for their own purposes.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast includes Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, and William Forsythe.
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