Review of Raising Arizona (1987) by Bruce S — 25 Apr 2011

I don't respect Nicolas Cage as an actor, but he was absolutely perfect in his role of hillbilly convict H.I. H.I. tries to go straight for the sake of his marriage to Officer Ed. He succeeds in staying on the straight and narrow until they decide to steal a baby since they cannot have one of their own. This leads to pursuit after pursuit, as many people have a stake in this baby, if not for affection, then for the reward money.

I loved John Goodman in this film, but he just knows how to play the part in the many subsequent Coen brothers' movies he has been in. Some might call him a natural, but maybe the Coen brothers just know how to cast. I also liked the bounty hunter out of hell, Leonard Smalls & his propensity to bomb bunny rabbits.

My favorite scene was when Ed's friends come over with their 5 little children who proceed to break everything in Ed's and H.I.'s house. Hilarious how Cage acted as if children behaving this way was natural, and like he didn't mind one bit.