---
title: "Raising Arizona"
year: 1987
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/raising-arizona"
fi1m_id: "raising-arizona"
imdb_id: "tt0093822"
tmdb_id: 378
wikidata_id: "Q670439"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 64
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:53.839334+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Raising Arizona (1987)

Directed by Joel Coen · 1h 34m · MPA PG-13 · Comedy, Crime

## Identity

Raising Arizona

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/raising-arizona
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** raising-arizona
- **IMDb ID:** tt0093822
- **TMDB ID:** 378
- **Wikidata ID:** Q670439
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093822/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/378, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q670439

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 64 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* Nicolas Cage approaches fatherhood as though stealing the baby were the difficult part

> Joel Coen’s baby-stealing farce is funny, warm and more carefully made than its racket suggests. Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter make the couple worth caring about, even when the plotting cannot keep pace with the chases.

## Synopsis

Nicolas Cage plays a repeat convenience-store robber who falls for police photographer Ed (Holly Hunter). They want to start a family, and decide that stealing one of a set of quintuplets is the way to do it. Parenthood begins for the trailer-dwelling couple with a crime rather than a birth, in an Arizona where their domestic ambitions sit alongside the habits of an outlaw life. Joel Coen directs a comedy co-written with Ethan Coen, with John Goodman, William Forsythe and Frances McDormand among the supporting cast.

## Review

Stealing a baby is an unpromising basis for a warm comedy, which is part of the pleasure of *Raising Arizona*. Joel Coen directs from a script written with Ethan Coen, and the brothers take the couple’s wish for a family seriously without pretending their solution makes sense. The result is a funny, affectionate farce that we recommend, with a warning about its appetite for noise. It asks us to care about two people while watching them do something indefensible, and mostly gets away with it.

Nicolas Cage plays a repeat convenience-store robber; Holly Hunter’s Ed is a police photographer. Their courtship and decision to steal a quintuplet give the film a domestic purpose beneath all the criminal activity. Cage’s slapstick is so good because he allows his character to look foolish without making him seem incapable of feeling, while Hunter brings a seriousness that makes the pair convincing together. We were surprised by how much we wanted them to have a family. The theft remains appalling, but the performances make the longing behind it difficult to dismiss.

Barry Sonnenfeld’s cinematography keeps the physical comedy in motion. His moving camera gives the chases a restless energy, making the pursuit itself funny rather than merely a way of getting to the next joke. Michael R. Miller’s editing gives the packed pre-credits sequence its momentum, establishing that the film will not wait politely for us to catch up. That speed suits the reckless decisions; it can also make a good joke feel hurried out of the way.

Jane Musky’s production design gives this Arizona a seediness that suits people trying to establish a respectable household by stealing somebody else’s child. The couple’s trailer matters: their ambitions are easy to recognise, even when their surroundings are being used for broad comedy. Carter Burwell’s score works with the film’s hectic movement, helping the farce stay playful rather than merely abrasive. With so much activity in the images and music, the quieter work of making us care falls heavily on Cage and Hunter.

The weakness is the story’s loose construction, and it becomes more noticeable once the initial premise has done its work. Joel and Ethan Coen are better here at inventing another complication than making each one feel necessary. Some of the supporting figures remain comic types, and the relentless pace gives us little time to become interested in them beyond the next gag. At 94 minutes the film is short, but some passages are busy without being especially funny.

The dialogue is another reason to stay with it through the commotion. Joel and Ethan Coen give the couple ways of explaining themselves that are funny without making the wish for a family seem foolish. For a crime farce, it pays unusual attention to the sort of home its criminals hope to make. Watch it for Cage and Hunter, provided nobody on the sofa needs a quiet evening.

*Fi1m score 84, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics come down in favour of the Coens’ second film, and the praise clusters on the writing. Reviewers admire the invention of the dialogue, the audacious opening stretch before the credits, and the seedy, mythical Arizona the brothers build and fill with no-hopers. Cage and Hunter are praised, and Carter Burwell’s score and Barry Sonnenfeld’s camerawork are singled out. Several count it among the Coens’ warmest work.

The spread is wide, and the reservations are about pace and structure rather than craft. Variety finds the loosely built story does not always hold together; RogerEbert.com finds the dialogue over-mannered and the film short of velocity. The Los Angeles Times goes further, calling it technically adept but boring and condescending towards its trailer-park characters, and Eye for Film sees no serviceable plot at all. The coolest notices date from 1987; those written since are almost uniformly warm.

## Straight answers

**Is Raising Arizona worth watching?**

*Raising Arizona* is worth watching for anyone who likes their comedy fast and loud, and we scored it 84. Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter make a baby-stealing couple worth caring about, and the chases are staged with real skill. The story is loosely built, and the pace can hurry a good joke off before it lands.

**How long is Raising Arizona, and what is it rated?**

*Raising Arizona* runs 1h 34m and is rated PG-13 by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy and crime film.

**Where can I watch Raising Arizona in the US?**

*Raising Arizona* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Raising Arizona, and is it suitable for children?**

*Raising Arizona* is a UK 12 comedy about stealing a baby, and it is far more noisy than frightening. The crime at its centre is treated as farce, with slapstick chases rather than anything gruesome, so most children over twelve should be fine. Younger viewers may struggle to keep up rather than be scared.

**How does Raising Arizona compare to Delicatessen?**

*Raising Arizona* and [*Delicatessen*](https://film.one/film/delicatessen) both make appalling behaviour companionable through elaborate visual comedy, but the Coens are warmer and Jeunet and Caro are stranger. The American film asks you to want its criminals to succeed; the French one asks you to laugh at cannibalism from a polite distance. Choose *Raising Arizona* for heart, *Delicatessen* for oddity.

**What should I watch after Raising Arizona?**

After *Raising Arizona*, try [*The Ladykillers*](https://film.one/film/the-ladykillers) (1955, Fi1m 86): The criminals are scarcely qualified, and the domestic arrangements prove still more troublesome. Then [*Paper Moon*](https://film.one/film/paper-moon) (1973, Fi1m 86): A child and a swindler make an awkward family, with less shouting; and [*Delicatessen*](https://film.one/film/delicatessen) (1991, Fi1m 83): Another grubby neighbourhood where elaborate visual jokes make appalling behaviour oddly companionable.

### Reviews we read (11)

- **Empire**, Mark Dinning (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a wonderfully surreal, hilarious joy that mixes multiple genres including prison movie, screwball comedy and Spaghetti Western while delivering frantic fun and timeless chases. They single out the sublime dialogue, Carter Burwell's score and Barry Sonnenfeld's cinematography for praise. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-raising-arizona-review/)
- **Time Out**, GA (85/100, inferred): The Coen brothers deliver a fervently inventive comedy that confounds expectations after Blood Simple. Its fresh and funny quality stems from the sheer fertility of the writing and the splendidly seedy depiction of a mythical Arizona populated by memorable no-hopers. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/raising-arizona)
- **Radio Times**, John Ferguson (4/5): This delirious mix of slapstick, surrealism and sentimentality remains one of the Coens' warmest, most complete works. The dazzling invention of the brothers shines through from the audacious pre-credits sequence, with superb performances from Cage and Hunter. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-dicvqs/raising-arizona/)
- **Vulture**, Alden Ford (80/100, inferred): The critic enjoyed the film as a quirky, loud and colorful early Coen comedy that holds up well due to strong characters, writing, cast and filmmaking. It succeeds on its own terms as an energetic piece showcasing the directors' potential. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2010/10/the-finally-screenings-i-just-sawd-raising-arizona-for-the-first-time.html)
- **The New Yorker**, Pauline Kael (70/100, inferred): The film is a broad, cornpone-surreal burlesque about baby love and family aspirations, with a galumphing tempo and sight gags. It has rambunctious charm thanks to the Coens' mechanical camera work and Nicolas Cage's winning slapstick performance. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1987/04/20/manypeeplia-upsidownia)
- **The New York Times**, Vincent Canby (70/100, inferred): The Coen brothers' second feature is a comedy about a recidivist convenience-store robber who falls for a police photographer and steals a quintuplet to start a family. It is praised for its neo-Hitchcockian style and the leads' performances. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/11/movies/film-raising-arizona-coen-brothers-comedy.html)
- **Variety**, Variety Staff (50/100, inferred): The Coen brothers deliver a twisted, quirky view of family rearing full of off-the-wall humor and surreal everyday life. While it has splendid touches and yocks, the loosely structured story does not always hold together coherently. [Read](https://variety.com/1986/film/reviews/raising-arizona-1200427138/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Sheila Benson (30/100, inferred): The Coens' jangling breakneck farce about trailer-dwellers who steal a baby is technically adept but relentlessly boring and condescending toward its characters. It manipulates cartoonish figures without cherishing them as fellow humans. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-03-20-ca-8011-story.html)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film marred by overly mannered dialogue and a lack of velocity, despite a good premise and talented cast; he praises the charming moments with the child and the fun with the Arizona character but criticizes the uneven tone and subplots. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/raising-arizona-1987)
- **The Wrap** (90/100, inferred): The piece celebrates the film as a cult classic that has stood the test of time despite initial mixed reviews and poor box office. It singles out the film's distinctive character names, heartfelt story of family and second chances, and its mix of hilarity and emotion as standout elements, calling it a masterpiece. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/raising-arizona-30th-anniversary-15-reasons-its-a-cult-classic-photos/)
- **Eye for Film**, Gator Macready (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film ludicrous and lacking any serviceable plot or developed characters beyond stereotypes, with a narrative that is too random and free-spirited to succeed as comedy or any genre. A couple of bizarre moments, such as the jailbreak scene and one involving a grenade, provide minor amusement amid the overall mess. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/raising-arizona-film-review-by-gator-macready)

## Details

- **Director:** Joel Coen
- **Director:** Joel Coen
- **Screenplay:** Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
- **Cinematography:** Barry Sonnenfeld
- **Editor:** Michael R. Miller
- **Music:** Carter Burwell
- **Production design:** Jane Musky
- **Costume design:** Richard Hornung
- **Producer:** Ethan Coen
- **Cast:** Nicolas Cage as H.I.; Holly Hunter as Ed; Trey Wilson as Nathan Arizona, Sr.; John Goodman as Gale; William Forsythe as Evelle; Sam McMurray as Glen; Frances McDormand as Dot; Randall Cobb as Leonard Smalls
- **Runtime:** 1h 34m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13
- **Release (the US):** 17 April 1987
- **Genres:** Comedy, Crime
- **Budget:** $6 million
- **Box office:** $29 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjWu8i6eMZo

## Where to watch in the US

- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $9.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BR, CA, CL, CO, DE, EC, EE, ES, FR, GB, IT, LT, MX, NL, NZ, PA, PE, PT, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Ladykillers* (1955), Fi1m 86: The criminals are scarcely qualified, and the domestic arrangements prove still more troublesome. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-ladykillers.md)
- *Paper Moon* (1973), Fi1m 86: A child and a swindler make an awkward family, with less shouting. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paper-moon.md)
- *Delicatessen* (1991), Fi1m 83: Another grubby neighbourhood where elaborate visual jokes make appalling behaviour oddly companionable. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/delicatessen.md)
- *The Man Without a Past* (2002): For more affection towards people whose domestic hopes exceed their available resources.
- *Hunt for the Wilderpeople* (2016), Fi1m 82: Another makeshift family pursued through a comedy that leaves room for loneliness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/raising-arizona