"Raising Arizona" is a gem from the 80's made by the oddball Coen brothers who definitely do not have any particular style of filmmaking. Who would think that the makers of something as dark as "Blood Simple" could make such a screwball comedy as this? Raising Arizona has a unique style of comedy that doesn't appeal to everyone, particularly if you have no knowledge of the ways and people of the American southwest, since the film is full of thoughts and lines that hilariously exaggerate the customs of the area. For example, after kidnapping an old man at gunpoint, taking him on a wild ride while running from the police after a robbery gone bad, and then falling through the front windshield onto someone's front lawn, the main character takes the time to say "much obliged" to the old man before continuing his wild run from the police. Manners are still important in the Southwest, even to a felon on the run.
As the film begins, we see what appears to be a different kind of love story. Convenience store robber H.I. (Nicholas Cage) falls in love with a beautiful deputy, Ed (Holly Hunter), who continually takes his mug shot each time he returns to prison. Once married, H.I. promises to stay out of trouble for Ed and they decide to start a family. Unfortunately, they discover Ed is "barren" and unable to have a child. They try adoption, but H.I.'s past felonies raise a red flag at adoption agencies, prompting H.I to note that "nature and the prejudices of others had conspired to keep us childless". It just so happens at the same time the wife of rich businessman Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson) gives birth to a set of quintuplets. Ed comes to the conclusion that the Arizona family has "more than they can handle" with their new children and decides to kidnap one of the babies, with the help of her husband. And this is all before the opening credits.
Things become even more complicated when two of H.I's prison buddies break out of jail and decide to stay at his place until they can come up with a plan that will be the start of "a crime spree that will encompass all of the Southwest proper - or we'll get caught - either way we're set for life." They invite H.I. to join them admonishing him that they know he's "partial to convenience stores, but the sun don't rise and set on the corner grocer". Note that one of the escaped felons is played by John Goodman. If you haven't seen this film since it first came out in 1987 you might have forgotten this, since this is one of his early pre-Roseanne film roles. Eventually Ed and H.I. come to their senses and return the baby, and we get the impression from the conclusion that someday in the future Ed and H.I. will have children of their own.
This film is full of sight gags and inside jokes that you have to watch carefully to get. For example, Nathan Arizona's commercials for his Unpainted Arizona furniture stores have a tagline of guaranteeing his merchandise is the best and cheapest "or my name isn't Nathan Arizona". As it turns out, we find out his name isn't Nathan Arizona, it is Nathan Huffhines. He changed it because "would you buy an unpainted dinette set from a place called Unpainted Huffhines?". This movie is a light comic piece. Don't let some of the Coens' other darker works dissuade you from seeing this film - there isn't a dark moment in the entire thing.
As the film begins, we see what appears to be a different kind of love story. Convenience store robber H.I. (Nicholas Cage) falls in love with a beautiful deputy, Ed (Holly Hunter), who continually takes his mug shot each time he returns to prison. Once married, H.I. promises to stay out of trouble for Ed and they decide to start a family. Unfortunately, they discover Ed is "barren" and unable to have a child. They try adoption, but H.I.'s past felonies raise a red flag at adoption agencies, prompting H.I to note that "nature and the prejudices of others had conspired to keep us childless". It just so happens at the same time the wife of rich businessman Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson) gives birth to a set of quintuplets. Ed comes to the conclusion that the Arizona family has "more than they can handle" with their new children and decides to kidnap one of the babies, with the help of her husband. And this is all before the opening credits.
Things become even more complicated when two of H.I's prison buddies break out of jail and decide to stay at his place until they can come up with a plan that will be the start of "a crime spree that will encompass all of the Southwest proper - or we'll get caught - either way we're set for life." They invite H.I. to join them admonishing him that they know he's "partial to convenience stores, but the sun don't rise and set on the corner grocer". Note that one of the escaped felons is played by John Goodman. If you haven't seen this film since it first came out in 1987 you might have forgotten this, since this is one of his early pre-Roseanne film roles. Eventually Ed and H.I. come to their senses and return the baby, and we get the impression from the conclusion that someday in the future Ed and H.I. will have children of their own.
This film is full of sight gags and inside jokes that you have to watch carefully to get. For example, Nathan Arizona's commercials for his Unpainted Arizona furniture stores have a tagline of guaranteeing his merchandise is the best and cheapest "or my name isn't Nathan Arizona". As it turns out, we find out his name isn't Nathan Arizona, it is Nathan Huffhines. He changed it because "would you buy an unpainted dinette set from a place called Unpainted Huffhines?". This movie is a light comic piece. Don't let some of the Coens' other darker works dissuade you from seeing this film - there isn't a dark moment in the entire thing.