Just as there are certain actors who fit perfectly into a Woody Allen movie, some lead performers just seem to meld with the Coen brothers’ style. Although he hasn’t worked with them since, Nicolas Cage showed he was one such actor in Raising Arizona, the sophomore effort from the Coens. It followed their thriller Blood Simple, and showed audiences the ease with which they were able to transition between serious drama and outrageous comedy (and back again, with Miller’s Crossing).
Much of the movie rests on the odd charm of the young Cage, paired to comedic effect with either the hard-edged Holly Hunter or the constantly screaming at the top of his lungs John Goodman. If offers the pleasure of returning Blood Simple players Frances McDormand and M. Emmet Walsh, but beyond that shares little in common with the formally sound thriller, instead offering up a relatively deeply felt love story, a romantic farce with hints of mythic value. Most importantly, it’s just a lot of mad fun.
This is a Coen brothers movie that’s good for people who aren’t normally into the Coen brothers.
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