- Raising Arizona is a madcap, screwball comedy that is effective and enjoyable for about two-thirds of its total length. In that sense, it may be emblematic of much of the Coen Brothers' output, but maybe I'll leave that comment for a later review. For now, I'll content myself to describe the trials and tribulations of H.I. McDunnough (Nicolas Cage) and his wife Edwina (Holly Hunter), "Hi" and "Ed" for short. As the film's uproarious prologue relates, theirs was the rare courtship that was facilitated by the gentleman's multiple incarcerations. You see, Ed was a police photographer and, well, Hi just kept coming through the system. Fortunately, Hi's bad habit of robbing convenience stores was partly offset by the fact that he never loaded his gun, and it wasn't long before the two were happily married. Next step: a baby.
- Unfortunately, it happens that the two are unable to have children. Wait, that doesn't quite convey the correct tone. To use Hi's own words, "Edwina's insides were a rocky place where (his) seed could find no purchase." Most of the film's oddly entertaining dialogue is a similar mashup of bible misquotes and rustic homespun bromides. Since "biology and the prejudices of others conspired to keep (them) childless," Hi and Ed decide to strike out on their own. The obvious target is Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson), the semi-famous unpainted furniture salesman whose wife has recently given birth to quintuplets. In a hilarious scene, Hi attempts to steal a baby in a room that is plum full of them, succeeding on only his second attempt. Now the McDunnoughs can start their family.
- As soon as Hi and Ed return home with young Nathan Jr., however, unpredictable complications predictably arise. First, they receive a surprise visit from brothers Gale and Evelle Snoats (John Goodman and William Forsythe). The rambunctious Snoats have just executed a howling mad prison break, and Ed worries that they will disrupt her newly-minted household. In the meantime, Hi's surreal dream of the terrifying "lone biker of Apocalypse" comes true as the oddly-named Leonard Smalls (Randall 'Tex' Cobb) launches his hunt for Nathan Jr. from a cloud of fire and brimstone. As if that weren't trouble enough, Hi's foreman at work, Glen (Sam McMurray), attempts to blackmail the McDunnoughs into handing over Nathan Jr. in an attempt to augment his own brood. Did I mention that Hi broke Glen's nose at the suggestion of a wife-swapping session? Despite appearances, Hi and Ed are among the more civilized characters in this quirky bunch of degenerates.
- Despite its many virtues, Raising Arizona is in part a frustrating film because it is so uneven. On one hand, it contains some of the funniest moments in the Coen brothers' filmography, including a hilarious prolonged police chase with banjo accompaniment that switches to Muzak as the participants go through a grocery store. The fight scene between Hi and the Snoats, too, is bizarrely captivating, mostly by virtue of being so far beyond the pale. Hunter and Cage, the latter of whom was born to play a hayseed loser, deliver excellent performances, delivering the script's insane dialogue with the natural ease of native speakers. But then there is the rest of the film. Much of the Snoats' screentime is spent yelling, which is neither creative nor funny. Leonard Smalls, too, erupts into the film in truly memorable fashion only to quickly fizzle out. The worst offender, however, is the film's final dream sequence. Raising Arizona can only succeed if the audience, like the Coens themselves, has no real investment in its characters. They're there to be quaint and funny, and that's it. So when the film's finale suggests that we should care that they grow old and fulfilled, the entire setup becomes completely untenable. Strange that the film's one serious moment would seem less realistic than, say, a diabolical biker who tosses grenades at bunnies.
- The film also featured Frances McDormand and M. Emmet Walsh in supporting roles.
