| Overall Grade: |
A |
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| Story: |
A- |
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| Acting: |
A |
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| Direction: |
A+ |
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| Visuals: |
A- |
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Coen Brothers Raising the Standard in "Arizona"
by Brock (movies profile)
Apr 21, 2006
6
of
7 people found this review helpful
"Raising Arizona" tells the story of H.I. "Hi" McDonnough (Nicholas Cage), a career criminal who turns over a new leaf to become a family man with his new love, Ed (Holly Hunter). Things begin to go wrong for the happy couple when they discover that Ed's "womb was a barren dessert in which [Hi's] seed could find no purchase." Add a kidnapped quintuplet, two escaped convicts (played by John Goodman and William Forsythe), and the Lone Motorcyclist of the Apocalypse...and hilarity ensues.
This film represents the Coen brothers at their best. Joel and Ethan Coen display their usual brilliant and hilarious writing style, juxtaposing the ordinary working-class characters with highfalutin vocab and dialogue. It is so over-the-top that you will find yourself saying "Real people don't talk like that!" The resulting comedic effect is only made possible by great performances by the entire cast. Nicholas Cage (though doing a constant deadpan) has never been better, and John Goodman pulls off his role to perfection. As always, Holly Hunter is fantastic, playing the part of yearning mother who will do anything to hold on to happiness.
The Coens are master storytellers. With help from cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, the scenes are beautifully filmed, a rarity among comedies. The Coens have a very distinct visual style which showcases their skill while adding to the mood of the film, whether the scene be comedic or poignant. In addition, "Raising Arizona" includes a score that is extremely unique but perfectly suited for the film. These elements are tied together wonderfully in the chase sequence where Hi steals a bag of huggies, one of my favorite parts of the movie.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it. And if you like it, buy it, because you can watch it again and again. One of my favorites of all time, and probably my favorite comedy. |
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