Today’s quick review: Raising Arizona. Unable to conceive a child of their own, ex-convict H.I. McDunnough (Nicolas Cage) and his wife Ed (Holly Hunter) decide to steal one from a wealthy local businessman who had quintuplets. With their new son Nathan, Jr. in tow, the couple set about the difficult business of parenting. But the appearance of two freshly escaped convicts (John Goodman, William Forsythe) threatens the stability of their new life.
Raising Arizona is a crime comedy from the Coen Brothers. The movie delivers the same mixture of elements that their comedies are known for: warm characters, a chaotic plot, and an undercurrent of sentimentality. However, Raising Arizona lacks the bite of their other work. It’s a pure comedy with a minimum of black humor and only mild violence. As such, it’s an easier, more straightforward watch than the likes of Fargo or Burn After Reading.
Raising Arizona carves out a unique niche for itself. Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter make an excellent couple: well-meaning, maladjusted, and devoted to one another. The plot is complicated yet easy to follow, a short romp full of twists, turns, and coincidences. The film also has a touch of the surreal in the form of Leonard Smalls (Randall “Tex” Cobb), a larger-than-life bounty hunter on the trail of the stolen baby.
Raising Arizona does have its downsides. The film is light on substance; for all the motions of its plot, the conflict never rises far above its baseline level of chaos. The film’s humor is indirect, a product of its odd characters and colorful world rather than deliberate jokes. Raising Arizona also relies on the viewer connecting with H.I. and Ed. For all its quality, the movie simply will not click for some viewers.
Give Raising Arizona a shot when you’re in the mood for something silly, creative, and sweet. Fans of the Coen Brothers will enjoy it as one of their lighter comedies, while anyone with a taste for offbeat humor should give it a chance. For a Coen Brothers romp with a similar tone, check out O Brother, Where Art Thou?. For a Japanese animated comedy with a similar premise, check out Tokyo Godfathers.
7.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for charming characters and an offbeat sense of humor.