Tequila Sunrise
Starring: Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Raul Julia, J.T. Walsh, Arliss Howard, Arye Gross
Directed by: Robert Towne
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Romance
1988

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A detective (Kurt Russell) and his drug-dealing best friend (Mel Gibson) clash over the affections of an upscale restaurant owner (Michelle Pfeiffer).

Review:

Tim: Tequila Sunrise is an atypical movie, but it's one that I really enjoyed. Critics weren't really as enamored as I was, but it's not uncommon for them to be wrong. This is a stylish, fun movie that doesn't conform to the typical standards of movies like this. It puts the romantic and dramatic aspects above any thoughts of action. It's a different movie for sure, but it's refreshing in its different focus.

I'd start any review of this movie by talking about the cast. That's the biggest strength of this movie and an aspect of it that I really loved. The cast is fantastic. When your big three are Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Kurt Russell, you've done something tremendously right. Gibson is really a classic movie star and he's really enjoyable in this role. His character has some complexity to him and he brings this to life with a charismatic, intriguing performance. It's fun to see him play this character- he seemed to enjoy it. Pfeiffer is a constantly good actress and she works really well in this role. Her character is a little too defined by the men around her, but this was the 1980s. She manages to eke out some respectability for this woman in her strong performance. Kurt Russell was excellent as well- it's the kind of role that leverages his strengths and allows him to give a cool, memorable performance. While each of these three are strong in their own rights, the movie is boosted by the fact that the three of them interact continuously throughout the movie. Pfeiffer is caught between both, but it gives us a chance to watch her play against both Gibson and Russell. Pfeiffer shows her acting talent here because she responds to both men differently, but in subtle ways. It's a testament to her acting that she makes these small adjustments to give us insight into her character. Pfeiffer really shines because of her ability to shift her performance based on who she's interacting with. There's at least some chemistry between Pfeiffer and both Gibson and Russell. I enjoyed how her relationship with both changed throughout the course of the film. Gibson and Russell get some nice moments together as well. I loved getting to see these two stars playing off each other. They had genuine chemistry, which made their characters' lifelong friendship seem believable. They did a fantastic job of portraying their complicated relationship- friendship and love, but something else, just below the surface. It was great fun to see.

Now, if the cast was just these three, I'd have raved about it. However, this film takes it further. We get Raul Julia in an excellent supporting role. Julia has a small role, but he makes a very large impact. I desperately wanted more screen time for Julia, although I understand the story didn't allow for it. Julia just had this intriguing aspect to him, your eyes follow him, no matter what he's doing. I loved seeing him play against Gibson. It's a wonderful supporting performance. The movie also boasts a great supporting performance by J.T. Walsh. Walsh is one of the most consistently excellent supporting actors and he gives the kind of performance you've come to expect from him. He can really grate on you and he does that a bit here. Seriously, it amazes me that so many critics didn't like this movie. Sure, you can poke holes in the story, but you get to see Gibson, Pfeiffer, Russell, Julia, and Walsh. That is a tremendous cast.

Now, the story is less effective than the cast. However, I think some people disliked it not because it wasn't good, but because it was so different to the norm. The movie clocks in just under two hours, but it never seems like it's in a hurry to get anywhere. Oftentimes that annoys me, but it didn't here. A ton of time is spent on character development and getting to understand these characters. That affords this wonderful cast more time to interact, which I loved. Sure, the story would have been better with more focus and more movement, but it would have also taken away some of the one-on-one interactions that I just loved. For example, Russell and Walsh have a lot of scenes that don't really add to the overall story. Those could have been cut, but I had so much fun watching those two bicker and clash. The story might have been stronger, but I still had a blast with those scenes. We spend a lot of time watching Pfeiffer's developing relationships with Gibson and Russell. I'm sure many viewers would have wanted to cut that to put some more action in the movie. I just don't think this is that kind movie.

I admit Tequila Sunrise has some shortcomings. The story does kind of get lost amidst the focus on the characters. For a different cast, this would have been a irreparable issue. It didn't bother me much here. I had a lot of fun watching this movie that subverted many of my expectations. I think this is a solid 80s movie and one I enjoyed a great deal.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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