IMDb > Tequila Sunrise (1988)
Tequila Sunrise
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Tequila Sunrise (1988) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
5.7/10   10,567 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Robert Towne
Writer (WGA):
Robert Towne (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Tequila Sunrise on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2 December 1988 (USA) more
Tagline:
Un cocktail explosif [French] more
Plot:
Mac Mckussic is an unlikely drug dealer who wants to go straight. His old and best friend Nick Frescia... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
'39 Steps' Reborn
 (From WENN. 8 January 2004)

User Comments:
Very Underrated more (54 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Mel Gibson ... Dale 'Mac' McKussic

Michelle Pfeiffer ... Jo Ann Vallenari

Kurt Russell ... Det. Lt. Nicholas 'Nick' Frescia

Raul Julia ... Carlos / Comandante Xavier Escalante

J.T. Walsh ... DEA Agent Hal Maguire

Gabriel Damon ... Cody McKussic

Arliss Howard ... Gregg Lindroff

Arye Gross ... Andy Leonard

Daniel Zacapa ... Arturo, Bartender at Vallenari's (as Garret Pearson)
Eric Thiele ... Vittorio Vallenari
Tom Nolan ... Leland
Dawn Martel ... Sin Sister #1

Lala Sloatman ... Sin Sister #2 (as Lala)
Budd Boetticher ... Judge Nizetitch

Ann Magnuson ... Shaleen McKussic
more
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Additional Details

Runtime:
115 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Spanish
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
It was at one point meant to star real-life buddies Nick Nolte and Jeff Bridges, with Nolte as the cop and Bridges as the dealer. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Pfeiffer is at the police station getting her chef released, Russell pulls up and parks directly in front of her car. When they leave the station, his car isn't there and Pfeiffer is able to drive away unobstructed. more
Quotes:
Hal Maguire: If you call her... You go anywhere near Mac's I'll have you shot!
Nick Frescia: You mean "arrested" don't you, Hal?
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006) more
Soundtrack:
Don't Worry, Baby more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
30 out of 33 people found the following comment useful.
Very Underrated, 3 June 2000
Author: Khaled Yafi-2 from London, England

Many perceive Tequila sunrise to be a routine, formulaic cop thriller with some nice sets, pretty actors, some guns, some sex....etc. Cynics go on to say that Gibson has never acted worse, that the plot twists are predictable and the love triangle is overly cheesy. I, on the other hand, feel that the film profits greatly from expert cinematography, fluent storytelling and convincing(albeit rather undemanding)acting. Pitting Gibson (the now-retired drug dealer lured back for one last deal) and Russell (the reluctant sheriff assigned to bust him) as best of friends on opposite sides of the law was a strong premise, made even more compelling by the fact that the drug dealer (Gibson) is the sympathetic character and the cop (Russell) is the sly, manipulative sort. There is an apparent sense of irony and it goes a long way to making an otherwise average story, interesting and very watchable. Pfeiffer is the glamorous love interest whose character does a lot to intensify the rivalry between the two men. Much of the drama and strength however comes from the late J.T Walsh as Russell's superior, hell bent on bringing Gibson down and his Mexican drug counter-part who nobody has ever seen. A special sense of irony presents itself at the denouement for Walsh unknowlingly becomes a pawn in the drug ring that has now become the talk of the town thanks to his vendetta.

The also late Raul Julia never disappoints as the charismatic yet enigmatic Mexican law enforcer. Julia and Walsh complement the film beautifully as side characters with dubious intentions. They are multi-faceted and like all the other people in this film are torn between what they should do and what they want to do, and in fact what they end up doing. Nothing is black and white in Tequila Sunrise; it's a very grey area. With every development we learn more about the people and how they are so far from being what we originally perceived. Hats off to to Robert Towne for his writing. Tequila Sunrise may lack the inventiveness, vision, and dynamism of Chinatown (Robert Towne wrote both scripts), but it should, by no means be discarded as a mediocre cop thriller.It is a very slick piece of cinema with fine acting, glamorous sets, and great dialogue. Furthermore, unlike some of it's predecessors it's a film that can be seen repeatedly without losing it's cutting edge. Under appreciated and underrated, Tequila Sunrise is an excellent film

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Tequila Sunrise (1988)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Very under-rated! Brand_X_Savior
Help with the most ambiguous film ever. mahditoohottie
Why the name Tequila sunrise? bubs-6
Theme song wxad
Give TEQUILA a special edition DVD!!!!!! pale69rider
Great opening scene... Panterken
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