Raising Arizona is a comedy starring Nicholas Cage as H.I. McDunnough and Holly Hunter as his police officer wife Ed. The narrative revolves around a series of kidnappings and ransoms while representing a sincere love for the child taken and a deep desire for family and belonging. The characters struggle with moving from a reckless youth into a life of commitments and loyalty.
The story using a fast-paced series of events and a lineup of colourful characters to build a narrative that darts from the ridiculous to the heartfelt. Raising Arizona isn’t existential, nor is it a joke to joke punchline comedy, but it does deliver some good laughs and an accessible message.
The actors deliver their roles well and the direction is decidedly quirky (like all Cohen Brothers films). The movie is entertaining from start to finish. It is original and certainly worth a watch.
By Aidan : Trinity Movie Society
