RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Raising Arizona
Raising Arizona

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Raising Arizona (1987)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
89 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:47

Fresh:42

Rotten:5

Average Rating:7.6/10

Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: A childless couple unable to adopt decide that a couple who just had quintuplets won't mind if they steal one of the babies. Thus begins the Coen brothers' madcap romp RAISING ARIZONA. Holly Hunter... A childless couple unable to adopt decide that a couple who just had quintuplets won't mind if they steal one of the babies. Thus begins the Coen brothers' madcap romp RAISING ARIZONA. Holly Hunter stars as Ed, a cop who is devastated when she learns that she cannot get pregnant. Nicolas Cage is her husband, H.I., an ex-con who wants nothing more than to make his wife the happiest woman in the world. So if she wants a baby, she's going to have a baby, one way or another. Heading up the supporting cast of bizarre characters are John Goodman and William Forsythe as crazy cousins who have just busted out of prison, Sam McMurray and Frances McDormand as Ed and H.I.'s swinging friends, and Randall "Tex" Cobb as a motorcycle madman hired to rescue the baby. RAISING ARIZONA is the Coen brothers' most consistently funny film. Carter Burwell's score, replete with infectious yodeling, is relentless, Barry Sonnenfeld's cinematography is beautifully wacky, and the manic dialogue is the brothers' most quotable. The film is a treat for the ears and the eyes, a one-of-a-kind sensation from a marvelous pair of filmmakers. [More]

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, Trey Wilson

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, Trey Wilson, William Forsythe, Sam McMurray, Frances McDormand, Randall "Tex" Cobb

Director: Joel Coen

Director: Joel Coen
Producer: Ethan Coen
Screenwriter: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Composer: Carter Burwell

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Aug 3, 1999

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Raising Arizona

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

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.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
03/13/09
Richard Corliss
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Sharp, inventive and hilarious, with a marvellous cast of Coen regulars.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
03/13/09
Channel 4 Film

The cartoon vision of southwestern tackiness doesn't cut very deep, but the mise-en-scene is packed with clever clutter.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
11/06/07
Pat Graham
Pat Graham
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An entertaining, energetic, and stylish comedy about a simple but loving couple who long to be parents.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
11/06/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide

While film is filled with many splendid touches and plenty of yocks, it often doesn't hold together as a coherent story.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment 1 Comment
11/06/07
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
11/28/06
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

In a shrewdly calculated move to show their versatility, the Coens made this madcap comedy right after Blood Simple. If their debut was slow and spare, this one has breathneck pacing and hopping banter by terrific Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
10/31/06
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Starting from a point of delirious excess, the film leaps into dark and virtually uncharted territory to soar like a comet.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

No review available.

comment Comment
01/10/06
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

comment Comment
09/09/05
Rebecca Murray
Rebecca Murray
About.com

No review available.

comment Comment
06/09/05
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

This is one of the funniest things I've ever seen!

comment Comment
03/10/05
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

Raising Arizona... is an explosively clever and riotously funny exploration of fertility, homemaking, and the working class in the prisons and trailer parks of the desert southwest.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/15/05
Eric Meyerson
Eric Meyerson
Filmcritic.com

No review available.

comment Comment
12/02/04
Brian Gibson
Brian Gibson
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)

No review available.

comment Comment
11/05/04
Jon Niccum
Jon Niccum
Lawrence Journal-World

The film is loaded with marvelous slapstick sequences and quirky character humor. While some viewers may find it too eccentric or too ready to make fun of blue collar America, most will find its comic surprises and unpredictable narrative to be most fulfi

comment Comment
10/14/04
Douglas Pratt
Douglas Pratt
DVDLaser

No review available.

comment Comment
09/14/04
Chris Barsanti
Chris Barsanti
Filmcritic.com

A highly original and funny film.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
08/27/04
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Nic Cage may never be better.

comment Comment
06/18/04
Luke Y. Thompson
Luke Y. Thompson
New Times

It's funny, but is it good? Like all the Coen brothers' work, it somehow lords itself over its audience.

comment Comment
03/11/04
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for Raising Arizona

October 17, 2008: UK Critics Consensus: Is Burn After Reading A Coens Classic? Does Eagle Eye Have Enough Action, Man?
In this week's roster of UK cinema releases we have the latest addition to the Coen canon in the CIA comedy caper, Burn After Reading, Shia LeBeouf stakes a further claim to the... More...

November 07, 2007: Total Recall: Welcome to Coen Brothers Country
Before expanding wide on November 21, No Country for Old Men (90 percent) will play in select cities this Friday riding a wave of huge expectations. The Cormac McCarthy-based... More...

February 02, 2006: Coens Aim to Tackle New "Country"
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joel & Ethan Coen's next film will be an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men." Word is that Tommy Lee... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…
19% 19% Transformers: Revenge …
55% 55% Orphan
43% 43% The Proposal
26% 26% Land of the Lost

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
98% 98% Up
88% 88% Ballast
67% 67% The Merry Gentleman

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

60+ New Moon pics

60+ New Moon pics

You want Twilight images? We got 'em!

Transylmania

Transylmania

Cheeky trailer for the vampire comedy!

John Cusack

John Cusack

We list his 10 top rated movies!

Salt trailer

Salt trailer

Angelina Jolie! Espionage! Check it out!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Rachel McAdams Rumored for Spider-Man 4 Source: Mania.com
126
  • Danny Elfman Leaves The Wolfman Source: Cinemusic.net
22
  • Oldboy Remake Rumored Dead Source: Latino Review
14
  • Francis Lawrence Directing a Futuristic Sgt. Rock Source: Hollywood Reporter
2
  • Can Avatar Make Money? Source: New York Times
97
  • Robert Pattinson Says Breaking Dawn Could Roll in Fall 2010 Source: Collider.com
34
  • Joe Johnston Talks The Wolfman Source: Ain't It Cool News
8
  • Jason Schwartzman Talks Scott Pilgrim Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Abrams eyes Micronauts, Aykroyd as Yogi Bear
102
  • J.J. Abrams Producing Micronauts Movie? Source: Wall Street Journal
11
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: A Christmas Carol Dazzles But Disappoints
43
  • Total Recall: John Cusack's Best Movies
43
  • Ho-ho-horror! 10 Scary Christmas Movies
36
  • RT on DVD: Up, the Ultimate Watchmen Cut, and More
36
  • Weekly Ketchup: Abrams eyes Micronauts, Aykroyd as Yogi Bear
34
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Christmas Carol Tops, Precious Rocks
32
  • Friday Harvest: Prince of Persia, The Road, and more!
26
  • Five Favorite Films with Roland Emmerich
25
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
14
  • RT's Holiday Movie Preview -- Find Out What's Hot This Season!
0
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
14
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
15
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
  • Emma Stone talks Zombieland - RT Interview
40
  • Michael Moore: The RT Interview
139
  • Andrea Arnold talks Fish Tank - RT Interview
4
  • Neill Blomkamp talks District 9 - RT Interview
51
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Raising Arizona at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Raising Arizona at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Worst Movie Biopics
Worst Movie Biopics External Link

Moviefone brings us 9 failed attempts at biographical films.

Top Cameron Crowe Moments
Top Cameron Crowe Moments External Link

TIME reminisces on the 10 most iconic moments from the films of Cameron Crowe.

November Films
November Films External Link

BuzzSugar wants to know which movies coming out this month you're most looking forward to.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club takes a look back at Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.