Raising Arizona (1987)
Kernel Score: 80% · 2,289 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Comedy, Crime
Released: 1987-03-13
Runtime: 94 minutes
Is Raising Arizona worth watching?
Worth watching. Raising Arizona is an early Coen brothers comedy that goes big on cartoonish chase scenes and oddball dialogue. It is inventive and quotable, though its tone is so stylised that some viewers will find it too silly.
Watch it if you
- like screwball crime comedies
- enjoy quirky dialogue and absurd set pieces
- are curious about the Coens' early work
Skip it if you
- dislike broad, cartoonish humour
- want something more grounded
Best for: Funny night with friends
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Raising Arizona
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
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.
Raising Arizona parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that Raising Arizona is a PG-13 crime comedy about a couple who kidnap a baby.
- Violence & scariness: Some — Comedic crime elements including a robbery, but violence is largely played for slapstick effect.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Raising Arizona
If you liked Raising Arizona, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Big Lebowski (1998) — 89%: Coen comedy with eccentric characters and wild turns
- Fargo (1996) — 86%: Coen crime story with deadpan humour
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) — 89%: Fast, funny crime caper full of bumbling crooks
- In Bruges (2008) — 87%: Darkly comic crime story with sharp banter
- Snatch (2000) — 88%: Frantic, comic gangster mayhem
- Barton Fink (1991) — 85%: Weirder Coen oddity with the same offbeat voice
Director
Cast
- Nicolas Cage as H.I.
- Holly Hunter as Ed
- Trey Wilson as Nathan Arizona, Sr.
- John Goodman as Gale
- William Forsythe as Evelle
- Sam McMurray as Glen
- Frances McDormand as Dot
- Randall 'Tex' Cobb as Leonard Smalls
- T.J. Kuhn as Nathan Junior
- Lynne Kitei as Florence Arizona
Raising Arizona FAQ
Is Raising Arizona worth watching?
Worth watching. Raising Arizona is an early Coen brothers comedy that goes big on cartoonish chase scenes and oddball dialogue. It is inventive and quotable, though its tone is so stylised that some viewers will find it too silly.
Where can I watch Raising Arizona?
In the US you can rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Raising Arizona OK for kids?
Raising Arizona is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that Raising Arizona is a PG-13 crime comedy about a couple who kidnap a baby.
What movies are like Raising Arizona?
If you liked Raising Arizona, try The Big Lebowski, Fargo, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and In Bruges.