After Blood Simple (1984) and Crimewave (1985) directed by Sam Raimi, Raising Arizona (1987) is the third writing and second directing combo by the infamous Joel and Ethan Cohen. Arizona is a riveting tale of an ex-con (Nicolas Cage) and a police officer (Holly Hunter), that harkens back to a time when childbearing was not taken for granted. H.I. McDunnough (Cage) is a man who comes from a long line of frontiersmen and outdoor types, not postured as the three-piece suit type, who falls desperately in love with Ed (Hunter), the officer who took his mug shot, not once, but three times. The dialogue in this film, is either a hit or a miss, depending on what your preferences are, and that can drastically influence ones overall feelings for this film. The informality of the dialogue takes on a sincerity that can be misconstrued for satire, or seem distracting…case in point (taken from the opening monologue): “I tried to stand up and fly straight, but it wasn’t easy with that sumbitch Reagan in the White House…” But this is what I love about the Cohen Brothers - they lace their metaphors in amazing, novel-esc dialogue. Apart from wonderful writing, the acting is phenomenal. The cast includes also a very young John Goodman, who plays a terrific and hilarious criminal and foreshadows a terrific career with the Cohen Bros. But I would like to turn the attention to the man of the hour, Mr. Nic Cage. Granted, this is Nic in his prime, when he was young, wide-eyed, wacky-haired, and absolutely crazy. Cage plays a phenomenal con, who I found myself relating to over and over again. A typical straight shooter who stays straight despite the shifting whims of his lover. Raising Arizona is an underrated, uncover chronicle of the American Dream - witty, funny, and chocked full of Cage rage. Don’t take it with a pinch of salt, this film is the real deal…a straight shooter.