Raising Arizona

"Raising Arizona" is a film so far out of this world, it may be hard to believe it's a film with true insight in what it takes to make a working American family. The characters are so wild, and the situations are so extreme, but they all have their place within the point being made by its filmmakers.

"Raising Arizona" was the second film directed by the filmmaking wunderkinds The Coen Brothers, and it was also their first in a long line of highly original screwball comedies.

The story is about Hi (Nicholas Cage)a convenient store robber who is multiple times convicted, and Ed (Holly Hunter) the police woman photographer who he meets everytime he's arrested and she has to take his picture. The two fall in love and get married, Hi swears to go straight, and things go well for the first little bit, that is until Ed decides she needs a baby. After attempting to conceive themselves, they find out Ed is barren, but like a miracle, they see on the news one day that a millionaire furniture salesman and his wife have given birth to quintuplets. Hi and Ed take the logical step and decide to steal one of the quints, because like Ed observes "They got more than they can handle".

The plan seems so simple for Hi and Ed, and so logical. Sure the mother will be upset, but she'll get over it. Hi and Ed are optimistic, they are living in a fool's paradise, where nothing could go wrong. Of course, thing's obviously go wrong.

Pretty soon, Hi's jail mates (John Goodman and William Forsythe) break out of jail. They want to hide out in Hi and Ed's place, which Ed is not very pleased with. It isn't too long before the baby's parents find out they're missing one and soon a deadly manhunter is on their trail.

All these screwball elements are in place, and The Coens have fun leading the viewer around by their nose. The plot is very unpredictable and unconventional, I often wonder why critics of the Coens don't appreciate this more.

At first, it may be hard to follow a story concerning people who are strange beyond belief, Cage's character even has a tattoo of Woody Woodpecker as if to say he was inspired by a cartoon. However within all this craziness, The Coens hit on a real truth. They don't really judge Hi and Ed, in fact they are the ones who gets the most sympathy in the film. In many ways, they are made out to be the victims of this film, who only resort to crime after society deems them unworthy to have a baby.

An interesting scene comes up when Hi and Ed entertain a so-called normal couple. They are Hi's boss Glen (Sam McMurray) and his wife Dot (Frances McDormand). The Coens do a 360 when this couple comes along, they are perceived by society as a normal family, but we soon learn that they are much more immoral than Hi and Ed, it is a grotesque picture indeed.

The film ends surprisingly on a note of cautious optimism as Hi, the narrator of the story recounts a dream. In the dream, we see a hypothetical conclusion with Hi and Ed growing old and having the family they had hoped for. There are other happy endings for the other characters in the film, but we are left to wonder if this is again a fool's paradise.

"Raising Arizona" is probably my favorite of The Coen Brothers' comedies, it's very unconventional and goes towards the absurd to get to their point. It's broad and screwball and I don't understand why more people don't embrace it like they do with the older comedies that were also broad, screwball, and unpredictable.

The Coens have a distinct style that has served them well over the years, and it's in vein to preach to the non-converted, but their films remain more and more interesting each time I view them. A main criticism that is heard about their films it they only seem to make fun of their characters and have no real sympathy towards them. If you look at the situation Hi and Ed are in, it could be said that under different hands, they could've come off as unlikable, but The Coens make us care for them, and they turn out to be two of the most lovable characters in their entire oeuvre. Credit can also go to Cage and Hunter who find the humanity in their far out roles. Even Cage with his wacky hair and wired facial expressions can make you feel a little sorry for this man who's trying to do his best to do good for his family.

"Raising Arizona" is a film that asks you to take a leap of faith, and if you do, the rewards are their in high doses. The Coens have concocted a screwball masterpiece, it's flamboyant, unsubtle, and maybe a little crude at times, but in it's own dark way, it is also heartwarming and poignant. There's something endearing about Hi and Ed and their situation, they're good people who society has ruled as outcasts, much like The Coens themselves, it may be a wishful thinking, they could find acceptance with everybody.