Tequila Sunrise (1988)

Great Film overall

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The only thing I heard about "Tequila Sunrise" back in the '80s was that it had a sexy hot tub scene. Does it ever.But the movie is more than that. It's the story of friendship and betrayal with some stunning cinematic moments.Mac Mckussic (Mel Gibson) is a drug dealer trying to go straight. His friend Nick Drescia (Kurt Russell) is the cop investigating him. Both Mac and Nick are attracted to Jo Ann (Michelle Pfeiffer), the owner of an Italian restaurant. What Nick wants from her, though, is information about Mac's plans. He wants to know more about Mac's drug dealing plans and his connections with a major Mexican dealer, Carlos, whom the police believe is coming to town to meet with Mac. "Tequila Sunrise" isn't heavy on action, which I suppose is one criticism, and it has some complicated subplots. And I'm not really sure you'd call it a noir - noirish maybe. What makes it interesting are the performances of Gibson, Pfeiffer, Russell -- and their beautiful looks -- and Raul Julia and J.T. Walsh, both marvelous.Someone described this as a chick flick. It's not hard-hitting like director Towne's classic Chinatown. It draws on some old themes - a love triangle, loyalty, friendship -- and it succeeds on that level. Comparing it to Chinatown won't get you anywhere.

This tall tale finds Kurt Russell and Mel Gibson as a couple of long time friends who now find themselves on opposite sides of the law - Mel as a "retired" drug dealer and Kurt as the cop tasked with bringing him down. Michelle Pfeiffer (looking about as sensational as ever) finds herself in the middle of these two strapping studs as a story of drugs, sex, love and double crosses unfolds. Who are good guys? Who are the bad? Not sure who's got the moral high ground here but in the end it doesn't really matter. Robert Towne not only wrote a brilliant screen play, he did a great job of directing this film. While you might not think Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer and Raul Julia are the best actors of their generation, this movie is surely one of the best works in their repertoire.Compared to the average cop movie, the film is slow. On the plus side, considering it's a Hollywood movie, the film has an unusual ability to see shades of grey. At the end of the day, both of those observations stem from that fact that the film is primarily a romance with a police investigation backdrop. The characters are well drawn for crime film but are still pretty two dimensional for a romantic drama. Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

This 1988 filmmaking effort for legendary screenwriter Robert Towne (of "Chinatown" fame) is slick, extremely well shot (by the equally legendary Conrad L. Hall), and generally absorbing. It does indeed go far on the charismatic performances by the star trio (that's not to mention the solid work by an exemplary supporting cast). It does boast a compelling theme of friendship, and the things that can put a severe strain on it. The characters are torn between what they have to do and what they would prefer to do.Towne goes with a traditional idea of having two boyhood buddies ending up on opposite sides of the law. McKussic (Mel Gibson) is a drug smuggler who's trying his best to get out of the business; Frescia (Kurt Russell) is a fast rising narcotics detective. Frescia, despite bearing no real ill will towards his pal, is not above manipulating others in order to get to McKussic - and, ultimately, Carlos, a big time drug kingpin who can only be identified by McKussic.All of the major parts are very well cast. Certainly they're all at their sexiest; Michelle Pfeiffer co-stars as Jo Ann, the savvy restaurant owner who comes between the two men. Raul Julia is a delight as the sinister Carlos, alternating between charm and menace. J.T. Walsh is superb as the unlikable, clueless federal agent whose methodology differs from Frescias'. (It's a truly sad thing that both Julia and Walsh are no longer with us.) Arliss Howard is Macs' cousin and partner in his shady dealings. Ann Magnuson has a cameo as Macs' ex-wife and Arye Gross has a small part as a lawyer. (Be sure to watch for a cameo by veteran director Budd Boetticher as a judge.)Admittedly the film is more interesting in its early parts. Towne begins it well but it isn't carried to a really satisfying conclusion. (Apparently the ending had to be changed in order to please the test audience. What a shame.) But thanks to Gibson, Pfeiffer, Russell, Julia, and Walsh, it's never less than watchable.Seven out of 10.

One of only five films directed by reputed writer Robert Towne (Chinatown), has some handsome stars (Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Mel Gibson) to photograph in the striking location of Manhattan Beach, California. The story is truthfully fluff. A difficult relationship develops between restaurateur Pfeiffer and two buddies since high school, Russell (cop) and Gibson (drug dealer). Russell is a charmer with slicked back hair and a cocky bravado. Gibson is a tender-hearted softie pining for Pfeiffer; he's a good father who has attempted to go legit selling equipment and parts. Gibson spends time at Pfeiffer's successful Italian restaurant, hoping he might be able to eventually score a date. But Russell, working from the intense surveillance of DEA agents (led by the late, great JT Walsh), having bugged her restaurant, listening to conversations between Pfeiffer and Gibson, will beat his pal to the punch, seducing her before he even gets a chance. As this romantic melodrama commences, Pfeiffer instead falls in love with Gibson, even after all the dangers that might undermine their relationship like his Mexican drug partner (played by the usually excellent, late Raul Julia; Julia just steals the film, with his effortless charisma, once he emerges as the drug supplier masquerading as a Mexican Federali) appearing surprisingly (unbeknownst to the hapless Walsh, often considered foolish, with Russell often just emasculating him) and serious prison time if Gibson's caught by the DEA. Russell's character, working in concert with the DEA who seem to always botch any attempt to catch Gibson (and ultimately Julia), is placed in quite an emotional and professional quagmire…if he does his job correctly, his pal must go to prison and risk losing Pfeiffer in the process, but if he doesn't, it will detrimental to his law enforcement career. Seeing Pfeiffer having to decide between Gibson and Russell makes for the film's central dilemma; the ladies might understand how difficult it would be for her to choose. Russell is comfortable as the smooth operator, self-assured and confident at what he does (and he's damn good at catching criminals), with Gibson certain to make the girls swoon as a gentle divorcée longing for Pfeiffer but tied up in his business with Carlos (Julia) which could ruin any chance at happiness. Love triangles in these types of Hollywood romantic dramas are commonplace, but this was 1988 and Tequilla Sunrise has three bonafide stars as the leads. Towne was fortunate to get these three right when they were hot. It is a testament to Julia that he could walk away with the film considering the talent involved. I think the ending, which says that love conquers all even though it appears Gibson's going to jail (and should, to tell you the truth…), didn't quite wash with me, but I enjoyed how Russell grins in defeat accepting surrender when he realizes Pfeiffer is totally gaga for his pal. Considering Towne wrote this, you'd think there would be some meat on the bones, but this is all about star power; this kind of movie is more of a star vehicle and it seems Towne purposely avoided too complex a plot, instead opting to let his cast woo us with their talent (and looks). That sunset conversation between Russell and Gibson on the swingset is a showstopper of photographic beauty (the sunlight just bathes them, with us seeing just the silhouettes of Gibson and Russell as the talk about Pfeiffer and their dilemma).