Raising Arizona

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Raising Arizona

PG-13,

1987,

1h 33m,

Comedy

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91%

67 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

50,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

67 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

An ex-con and an ex-cop meet, marry and long for a child of their own. When it is discovered that Hi is unable to have children they decide to snatch a baby. They try to keep their crime a secret, while friends, co-workers and a bounty hunter look to use the child for their own purposes.

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Critics Consensus

A terrifically original, eccentric screwball comedy, Raising Arizona may not be the Coens' most disciplined movie, but it's one of their most purely entertaining.

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Dennis Hunt

Los Angeles Times

Apr 30, 2026

It's another artistic triumph for The Coen brothers.

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Peter Keough

Chicago Reader

May 9, 2022

2/4

Coens have not achieved the maturity needed to appreciate the vision of a Capra or Sturges, and their gifts are too rich and deep for the likes of Heckle and Jeckle.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Jan 14, 2013

Raising Arizona is no big deal, but it has a rambunctious charm.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Dec 30, 2025

This wonderful film gives the comic-strip treatment it deserves to the wacky violence that seems to have taken over in American life.

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John Ferguson

Radio Times

Aug 19, 2025

4/5

From the audacious pre-credits sequence onwards, the pace never slackens for a second.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Feb 7, 2024

4/5

Two features into their career, Raising Arizona shows that the Coens are as effective with comedies as they were with neo-noir.

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Albus S

Jan 9, 2019

No big deal but lots of charm and humor -Typical Coen brothers signature at it's 100%.

Ron G

Dec 22, 2018

Laugh-out-loud funny. You gotta see it twice to pick up all the things you missed the first time from laughing.

Luke S

Nov 27, 2018

This is an absolutely hilarious movie. A must see!

Hermione S

Nov 26, 2018

I really enjoyed the quirkiness of this film, especially the characters and directional style. I heard this was a good one and didn't know it was the Coen brothers initially. This is one of their better films IMO and I like when they stick more to less serious films like this. Their films tend to be hit or miss for me. Anyways I wanted to see this one because I heard the cinematography was really good and it was good not great (I've seen a lot better), and that's not the reason why I liked this film. Also its hard to make a desert film where the cinematography isn't gorgeous. What I liked best about this film was the humor, the oddball characters n romance story, the camerawork-angles and inventive action scenes, the music, the idioms and just how creative and how u didn't know what was coming next.

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Abraham S

Nov 1, 2018

Nicolas Cage as the lovable yet ultimately misguided "Hi" is almost perfect casting. A wonderful ensemble piece that wallows in its middle-america setting, characters and storytelling.

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Kylo L

Oct 27, 2018

It's like a live action looney tunes film. I love the setting and characters but it is over indulgent at certain points.

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Joel Coen

Director

Nicolas Cage

H.I. McDonnough

Holly Hunter

Edwina "Ed" McDonnough

Trey Wilson

Nathan Arizona, Sr.

John Goodman

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William Forsythe

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Synopsis

An ex-con and an ex-cop meet, marry and long for a child of their own. When it is discovered that Hi is unable to have children they decide to snatch a baby. They try to keep their crime a secret, while friends, co-workers and a bounty hunter look to use the child for their own purposes.

Director: Joel Coen
Producer: Ethan Coen
Screenwriter: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Circle Films, Inc.
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 1, 1987, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 2, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $21.1M
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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