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Raising Arizona

Raising Arizona

Comedy · Crime · 1987

When a childless couple—an ex-con and an ex-cop—take one of a wealthy family’s quintuplets to raise as their own, their lives grow more complicated than anticipated.

Movie details

Raising Arizona

“Their lawless years are behind them. Their child-rearing years lay ahead...”

1987 Comedy · Crime 1h 34m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.1 / 10

Community rating

When a childless couple—an ex-con and an ex-cop—take one of a wealthy family’s quintuplets to raise as their own, their lives grow more complicated than anticipated.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Raising Arizona?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Serial Mom

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American expat Mickey Pearson has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.

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One Night at McCool's

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Joel Coen

Written by

Joel Coen · Ethan Coen

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage

H.I.

Holly Hunter

Holly Hunter

Ed

Trey Wilson

Trey Wilson

Nathan Arizona, Sr.

John Goodman

John Goodman

Gale

William Forsythe

William Forsythe

Evelle

Sam McMurray

Sam McMurray

Glen

Frances McDormand

Frances McDormand

Dot

Court is in session

Put Raising Arizona on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.