Tequila Sunrise | 
| Director: Robert Towne
Actors: Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Raul Julia, J.t. Walsh
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $12.98
Buy New: $3.92
You Save: $9.06 (70%)
New (48) Used (29) from $3.46
Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 14033
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd, Full Screen, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 2
Picture Format: Array
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 115 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.6
MPN: D11821D
ISBN: 6304696574
UPC: 085391182122
EAN: 9780790732879
ASIN: 6304696574
Theatrical Release Date: December 2, 1988
Release Date: October 29, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
THE MIX IS DANGEROUS, THE ROMANCE IS SIZZLING, THE ACTION IS EXPLOSIVE WITH THREE OF THE MOST EXCITING PERFORMERS ON SCREEN AT ANY ONE TIME. A COOL, CUNNING DRAMA OF FRIENDSHIP AND BETRAYAL, A SEDUCTIVE BLEND OF ACTION AND ROMANCE.
Amazon.com essential video
Robert Towne is one of Hollywood's most celebrated screenwriters, but because his directorial efforts have been few and far between, anticipation was high when this star-powered crime story was released in 1988. Critical reaction was decidedly mixed, but there's plenty to admire in this silky, visually seductive film about a drug dealer (Mel Gibson) whose best friend from high-school (Kurt Russell) is now working for the Los Angeles sheriff's drug detail. Their personal and professional conflicts are intensified by their love for the same woman, a waitress (Michelle Pfeiffer) at the Italian restaurant they both frequent. There's a big deal going down with a drug lord (the late Raul Julia), but as it twists and turns, Towne's story is really more about personal loyalties and individual honor. And even if it doesn't quite hold together, the movie's got a fantastic look to it (courtesy of the great cinematographer Conrad Hall), and the three stars bring depth and dimension to their well-written roles. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 41 more reviews...
 Just Another Tequila Sunrise April 1, 2009
Gregor von Kallahann
A few months back I was doing some research on the theme of "friendship on film." It was for a film series I was running, and while there were literally hundreds of possibilities for female friends, the array of serious or even just "solid" genre films about male bonding seemed relatively paltry. (I wish I could have had access to a list I saw published online just last week about film's concerning "bromances"--that certainly gave me a few belated ideas.)
One film that came up in a few lists I consulted was one that I had seen quite a few years ago, Robert Towne's sunlit noir TEQUILA SUNRISE. I only remembered the film vaguely, but since it concerned best friends on the opposite side of the law, it seemed like it might have some possibilities. (The only other thing that stuck in my head all these years, oddly enough, was the fact that at one point Michelle Pfeiffer's restauranteur character promises an ailing child that she'll send over some "angel hair pasta" for him--and although I could easily surmise what it was, I was astonished that there was a pasta I had never heard of, but then you must understand that the Italian "cuisine" of my childhood was pretty much limited to Chef Boy-ar-dee, and I've been playing catch-up my whole adult life.)
However, when "angel hair pasta" is one of the few things you can recall about a film, you know you're in trouble. Still the attractive cast and the "friendship" theme made me think it might well be worth another look. It was. But just barely. Perhaps I'm being unkind. Let's put it this way: if my film series were going to be truly extensive, then including this decided "non-masterpiece," might have been viable. It IS all about the theme of "friendship" and how that theme might be treated in a genre film (particularly a latter day genre film) could make for some interesting discussion.
So why did I pass on it? It certainly addressed my theme: in fact, at some point or other, pretty much EVERY character makes some pithy (or not so pithy) statement about the nature of friendship. But just as the movie as a whole takes on too many confusing twists and turns, its reflections on the friendship theme were all pretty muddled. Probably the most clearheaded commentary on the theme comes from Raul Julia's admittedly complex charactern when he rants (pretty sophomorically) about how one cannot choose one's family and that one's, uh, libido may misguide one in matters of the heart, BUT friendship should be the ONE relationship you can count on.
Or some such.
Did I mention the plot is a confusing mess? So much so it actually compelled me to go back and re-watch the beginning to see what I had missed. (That makes two and a half viewings, which is--as some critics like to snipe--about five hours of my life that I'll never get back. I'm not complaining though since I didn have plenty of nachos and dip). Finally, it did start to make sense, but to tell the truth there were some points that I still didn't get until I started reading other reviews here and elsewhere. I can be pretty dense about mysteries sometimes (guess I'm just naive), but I'm not too bad at character analysis, but even here the film falls down.
TEQUILA SUNRISE is a rather elaborate mystery-thriller which WANTS to be more than that. And if it's not quite out to make a truly GRAND statement about friendship, romantic love OR angel hair pasta, it's at least trying to make a substantial one on at least two of those subjects.
 Great nostalgic movie February 7, 2009
Micheal V. Angeletti (Boise, Idaho)
I loved this movie. If you like Kurt Russell, you'll love this movie. If you like Lethal Weapon, you'll like it. Not because of Mel Gibson, but rather because of the feel-good, yet crime/cop effect it has is similar to Lethal Weapon. The hot tub scene is hot, and there is sufficient action/excitement (not even comparable to Lethal Weapon's level of action).
Thrilless thriller December 29, 2008
LGwriter (Astoria, N.Y. United States)
This is certainly not a typical thriller; it was likely the filmmaker's (Robert Towne's) intent to make it this way. The emphasis is much more on personality and friendship than on plot machinations that more clearly define what a thriller is. Because of a huge dollop of romance, courtesy of a strong love triangle--Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Kurt Russell--the movie feels much more like a drama with a couple of thriller elements thrown in (JT Walsh as a somewhat evil cop and Arlen Specter as a snitch) just to make sure the term "thriller" could be used to assign this to a genre.
One of the big problems here is that the stakes are just not raised enough to make this a gripping film. We already know that Russell and Gibson are friends who are now on opposite sides of the law. Not much is done to develop any real buildup of tension based on that opposition. The introduction of Raul Julia as a shady Mexican cop seems mostly like an afterthought, again to add to the labeling of the movie as a "thriller".
Overall this strikes me as a very loosey-goosey movie with admittedly lush cinematography (the only real high point of the piece) that tries to hide the much-too-laid-back tone of what could possibly have been a much better thriller per se, but instead winds up being a two-hour time-killer when you don't have a whole lot of choices to throw into your DVD player.
For the ultimate Mel Gibson fan May 3, 2008
Maria Teresa Valte
If you're a Mel Gibson fan, don't miss this movie. It's his sexiest movie ever and, for the male population, Michele Pfeiffer is in it too and how! It's not just steamy, it's really hot!
 Noir Attempt without much Noir April 22, 2008
K. Boullosa
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"Tequila Sunrise" is worth seeing for three reasons: Kurt Russell's perfectly drawn noir cop, the sheer physical gorgeousness of Russell, Gibson, and Pfeiffer, and Raul Julia's stylish turn. It's incredible that the same person who wrote "Chinatown" (Robert Towne) brewed this cup of weak tea, whose only accomplishment here is to plate up a serious batch of eye-candy for a couple of hours (not that there's anything wrong with that).
TS's script fails because of its core dilemma: it presents shady, not to say outright evil characters, like a former high-level cocaine dealer, that it also wants you to LIKE. This problem starts with Gibson's role, Dale (Mac) McKussic. Mac, as written and as played by the too-endearing Gibson, is absurd. We are asked to believe that the cuddly, studly, loving Dad is actually the victim here, with a nasty ex-wife, traitorous friends, and an ambitious pal on the police force who wants to move up by collaring Mac's former connection, the legendary cartel leader "Carlos", and who may (or may not) be willing to use Mac to do it.
Gibson's Mac asks you to shelve everything you ever knew about the revoltingly evil nature of cocaine peddling, years of which have apparently left not the slightest stain on Mac's lovability (not to mention his conscience). Never mind all those schoolchildren that the stuff Mac brought in will reach, or the murderers and sociopaths he helped make rich . . .you just stay focused on those baby-blues of his.
Set in the South Bay area of Los Angeles during the 1980s, this story focuses on the difficulties of Mac, a former cocaine smuggler who once enjoyed a serious reputation in the drug trade. Now he wants to go straight, but, as Mac whines, "nobody wants me to quit." Mac's old friend, Lt. Nick Frescia (Kurt Russell), who heads up the area's police drug enforcement unit, might be ambivalent on that score, himself. Russell's Frescia is the only authentically played character in the film: hardboiled, ambitious, slick, and a tad flexible on the rules of engagement, but at heart on the right side.
Nick doesn't really want to send his old pal up, but Nick is under pressure from D.E.A. agent Hal Maguire, (another villainous turn by J.T. Walsh) to use Mac to find and bring in "Carlos". Nick likes Maguire about as much as he likes "Carlos", and is put in the position of choosing between a chance to get Carlos by trapping Mac, or standing between Mac and Maguire's ruthless tactics. As it happens, the mysterious "Carlos" has some "accounting matters" that he wants to clear up with Mac, and despite Mac's protests, is on his way into town, his ETA coinciding with that of Javier Escalante (Raul Julia), a Mexican drug enforcement officer working with Maguire, who is also after "Carlos".
Matters between Mac and Nick become more complicated when they fall for the same woman, restauranteur Jo Ann Vallenari (Michelle Pfeiffer). Deeply attracted to Jo Ann, Mac has taken to eating at her restaurant, always at the same table, offering law enforcement an opportunity to bug the table and to blackmail Jo Ann into cooperating as they try to use Mac to get to "Carlos". In-between all this, Mac hires Jo Ann to cater his son's birthday party, and, needless to say, the boy also falls for the pretty restauranteur (who is also a damned good cook - she not only runs the restaurant, but can dish up pasta quattro fromaggi with the best of them).
Jo Ann is actually a red herring: the truth is, she's only there to provide some romantic interest and relieve the macho essence of the film, and it shows - from a mile off, you can smell the clunky attempt to work her into the story so that it has some sex. The script also calls for Jo Ann to be "slick" but she isn't, not the least bit. Smooth, yes; slick no. The delicately pretty Pfeiffer, at this point in time, just didn't have the bite she later displayed as "Catwoman" and in "White Oleander", when her cherubic prettiness had hardened a bit. It's not Pfeiffer's fault - Jo Ann's part is badly written - maybe a young Lauren Bacall could have pulled it off.
Naturally, Nick also falls for Jo Ann and for awhile there, the viewer isn't sure who Jo Ann really trusts or who she is really interested in - the way this is written, she probably wasn't sure, either, till the last page. Oh - wait, she gets into the hot tub with Mac before the last page. Let me think- is that before or after she made love to Nick in the leaky wine cellar?
Finally, "Carlos" chugs into town, with enough cocaine on board to buy and sell OPEC; everyone meets up in the same place at the same time; more perfidy and double-crossing is uncovered; the guns come out; the explosions start; Jo Ann figures out who she's really in love with, all to the accompaniment of Raul Julia's rendition of "Santa Lucia".
"Tequila Sunrise" tries hard, but that's its problem: you can see it trying hard to be snappy and noir-ish and suspenseful and layered, but it isn't any of those things. There's a difference between a layered story and a confusingly written one - this is the latter. The characters' motivations aren't clear, and they are unbelievable as written. Only Kurt Russell inhabits a role well-anchored in the film tradition this movie apes, but doesn't fulfill. It's a great disappointment, given the talents of its cast and scriptwriter, that "Tequila Sunrise" is so eminently forgettable.
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