Cocktail (1988)

This 1988 effort at creating a milestone coming-of-age story with the impact of The Graduate is commendable, but the results are mostly shaky and garish. Tom Cruise plays an ambitious young man who arrives in New York City and becomes known as a flashy bartender in a hot club. After falling for Elisabeth Shue's girl-next-door character, however, his desire for success causes him to travel down a more selfish path with an older woman. The film, directed by Roger Donaldson (Bounty), is built on entirely on appearances (Cruise's star charisma) and flash (the way Cruise and his character's bartending mentor, played by Bryan Brown, toss bottles of booze around). The more interesting and underlying themes, however, particularly the hero's obvious Oedipal dilemmas, are lost beneath this window dressing, as if everyone involved was afraid to commit to the story's intrinsic value. Cruise fans might want to take a look at this, but otherwise there isn't much to recommend it. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

Interesting Plot Twists, But Very Idealized

My boyfriend really wanted to rent this movie, but we could not find it anywhere-- so I went ahead and bought a copy here on amazon. I didn't know what to expect, my boyfriend was a 'flare' bar-tender while in college (he does those amazing stunts while making drinks).

Anyhoo. I can typically figure out the plot, the intended morals of the film- and most all the corporate sponsors of a film in about 15 mins of the start. This one was much more difficult-- it portrayed the way, I am sure many, 20-somethings feel when getting into the 'real world'. What to do with your life, how to get there. The lead character starts down one avenue, the military where we begin the movie. Then he goes to the big city imagining life at the top only to realize he will need some more education to get there. Gets into school, but needed employment. He stumbles into a bar where he learns very quickly the skills of the trade. Sleep deprivation and his own idealism screw him over in college.

So the character still has a goal of getting to the top and creates another idealized plan for getting there without a degree. His partner betrays him as a way to teach him a lesson about love *cruel, but... you'll see* So the hero of the story continues his plan for success alone. Life is great, if not lonely. He meets a girl. *awhhh*

The cruel partner shows up again... but he's a gold digger now! And gets the hero into trouble again... *hearts get broken*

Plot shift again... totally new lifestyle, but the hero remains faithful to his plan of getting to the top (very '80's movie). But more heartbreak, a death and a few fist fights later he learns lessons about money, love and friendship... *cue cheesy music* the things that really matter in life.
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SPOILER ALERT!!!!
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Over all the movie was fine, but if you think deeper than the average movie viewer you will note that they sugar coat the true economic hardships of living in the city as a student; and completely ignore the issue of alcoholism as a disease. You will get annoyed by the fact that the partner of the hero can always manipulate the hero by 'betting' with him. And unplanned pregnancy is completely glossed over as something that happens with no options available to the woman... and the man is not expected to participate-- or even be aware-- of the pregnancy or the child. However because he does want to be in the woman's life he is a hero, and of course just because they spent a few sweaty nights having unprotected sex on a beach they will have a satisfying marriage in the city... regardless of the fact that he is a bartender/owner of a dingy bar, regardless of the fact that this woman was the daughter of multi-millionaires who was disowned because she stayed with the Hero of the story. Not to mention that they are expecting twins... and that she hangs out while pregnant in a smoky bar (but hey it was the '80s).

I realize that I was born in '84, and I don't entirely understand the ethics of the decade-- but there is so much more to being successful in life than being idealistic. However I imagine it did help him that he was attractive, white and male... I would love to see a sequel to this film:
-- The Hero of the film becomes absent, alcoholic husband/father, bitter because he's too old and too tired to keep up the fantasy that he'll 'make it one day'.
--- The beautiful love interest, now overweight, depressed and resentful of the man that got her knocked up in the first place, then got her disowned by her rich family; and of the children that made her loose her figure.
-- Plot twist involving low-income housing, AA, Jenny Craig, child protective services, welfare and food stamps... maybe an extra-marital affair! Oh the possibilities are endless.
December 12, 2008

Favorite Movie

This was my favorite movie growing up and I'm glad they made it into a DVD so I can continue watching it! December 12, 2008

great movie

I love this movie,is one of tom cruise best films,i was realy surprised that some people call this film trash,i wonder what see now when almost everything aut there is realy trash.Hollywood in the 80s was not a factory,like it is now. October 25, 2008

Coughlin's Law: anything else is always something better

Cocktail is a good but not great movie. You might even call it a bad movie, but it is thoroughly enjoyable, kind of a Flashdance or Showgirls, but with drinks instead of dancing. It is a classic Horatio Alger tale, a rags-to-riches, work hard and you'll achieve the American Dream kind of fable. There is the obligatory scene where a teacher, bitter about failure in the real world, takes it out on his students. There is the mentor who helps him achieve the American Dream. And there is the boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, and boy gets her back aspect. There is also the part where he makes a bargain with the devil, a rich older woman, but after being thoroughly humiliated, he tries to salvage what remains of his dignity and self respect. It has all this, plus Cruise plays a very entertaining bartender who juggles the cocktail shakers. The tag line is: When he pours, he reigns. What's not to like?

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Doug: Coughlin's Law: anything else is always something better.
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Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise) has just gotten out of the military. His uncle Pat owns a bar, but he never ever under any circumstances, will give out drinks on the house. Though he could work there, Brian feels he was meant for better things. He goes to the big city looking for a start in some fruitful career but is turned down everywhere. Finally he stops at a bar where he meets his future mentor, Doug Coughlin (Bryan Brown). Coughlin sees himself as a philosopher, citing Coughlin's Laws that he has written over the years, distilling his experiences as a bartender into a potent brew. He sees great potential in the young Flanagan, and takes him under his wing, though in spite of his uncle owning a bar, he doesn't even know that a Cuba Libre is a rum and coke.

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Doug: [Introducing himself] Douglas Coughlin, Logical Negativist. Flourished in the last part of the 20th Century. Propounded a set of laws the world generally ignores, to its detriment.
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Flanagan is a quick learner, though, and soon he has mastered his lessons. The parts where Doug and Brian rock the house with their fancy dancing and pouring moves are a little hard to swallow. They draw huge crowds as if they are rock stars? But then again, is that any more preposterous than watching a movie about rock star bartenders? The fancy pouring they do is called 'flair bartending' and such people actually exist and were hired to train Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown in this arcane art.

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Doug: I don't care how liberated this world becomes - a man will always be judged by the amount of alcohol he can consume - and a woman will be impressed, whether she likes it or not.
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Some of the parts were a little dated. The movie was made in 1988, and there is one scene where a man announces himself as the first Yuppie Poet, and proceeds to recite one of his verses. This is a bit quaint, but it does manage to evoke that bygone era quite well.

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Doug: When you see the color of their panties, you know you've got talent. Stick with me son and I'll make you a star.
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Brian, now that he is a 'rock star,' picks up Coral (Gina Gershon), a bartender groupie. Coughlin bets him $50 that she'll have another man within a week, then beds her himself, so as not to lose the bet. Though Brian throws a hissy fit, punches him, and quits, Coughlin claims that he did him a favor and he'll thank him some day.

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Brian: Coughlin's Law: never show surprise, never lose your cool.
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Brian goes to Jamaica to seek his fortune. It is there that he meets Jordan Mooney (Elisabeth Shue), who is just tremendous in this role. Though she didn't get any Oscar nominations for this role like she did for Sera in Leaving Las Vegas, it is a solid performance and she is just about perfect. Brian doesn't realize just how rare she is.

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Doug: Coughlin's Law: never tell tales about a woman. No matter how far away she is, she'll always hear you.
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Coughlin shows up with his new rich wife, and makes another bet that he can't seduce a rich woman himself, and close the deal. He wins the bet, but loses his true love in the process. Anyway, you know the story, we laughed, we cried, we drank.

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Brian: Should we let it breathe?
Doug: It hasn't breathed for fifty years, it's dead. Let's just drink it.
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Funny thing, in 1988, the year he made this, it won a Razzie for worst picture, but Rainman, made the same year, won the Oscar for best picture. And even the Razzie acknowledged that in spite of Cocktail being a bad movie, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

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Doug: Coughlin's Law: bury the dead, they stink up the place.
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TOM CRUISE


Tropic Thunder (2008) .... Les Grossman
Lions for Lambs (2007) .... Senator Jasper Irving
Mission: Impossible III (2006) .... Ethan Hunt
War of the Worlds (2005) .... Ray Ferrier
Collateral (2004) .... Vincent
The Last Samurai (2003) .... Nathan Algren
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) .... Tom Cruise as Austin Powers
Minority Report (2002) .... Chief John Anderton
Vanilla Sky (2001) .... David Aames
Mission: Impossible II (2000) .... Ethan Hunt
Magnolia (1999) .... Frank T.J. Mackey
Stanley Kubrick's eyes wide shut (1999) .... Dr. William 'Bill' Harford
Jerry Maguire (1996) .... Jerry Maguire
Mission: Impossible (1996) .... Ethan Hunt
The Last Samurai/Interview With the Vampire - The Vampire Chronicles (1994) .... Lestat de Lioncourt
The Firm (1993) .... Mitch McDeere
A Few Good Men (1992) .... Lt. Daniel Kaffee
Far and Away (1992) .... Joseph Donnelly
Days of Thunder (1990) .... Cole Trickle
Born on the Fourth of July (1989) .... Ron Kovic
Rain Man (1988) .... Charlie Babbitt
Young Guns (1988) (uncredited) .... Cowboy
Cocktail (1988) .... Brian Flanagan
The Color of Money (1986) .... Vincent Lauria
Top Gun (1986) .... Lt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell
Legend (1985) .... Jack
All the Right Moves (1983) .... Stefen Djordjevic
Risky Business (1983) .... Joel Goodsen
Losin' It (1983) .... Woody
The Outsiders (1983) .... Steve Randle
Taps (1981) .... Cadet Captain David Shawn
Endless Love (1981) .... Billy

ELISABETH SHUE

Hamlet 2 (2008) .... Elisabeth Shue
First Born (2007) .... Laura
Gracie (2007) .... Lindsay Bowen
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005) .... Lily
Hide and Seek (2005) .... Elizabeth
Mysterious Skin (2004) .... Mrs. McCormick
Leo (2002) .... Mary Bloom
Tuck Everlasting (2002) (voice) .... Narrator
Hollow Man (2000) .... Linda McKay
Molly (1999) .... Molly McKay
Cousin Bette (1998) .... Jenny Cadine
City of Angels (1998) (uncredited) .... Pregnant Woman
... aka Stadt der Engel (Germany)
Palmetto (1998) .... Mrs. Donnelly / Rhea Malroux
... aka Dumme sterben nicht aus
Deconstructing Harry (1997) .... Fay
The Saint (1997) .... Dr. Emma Russell
The Trigger Effect (1996) .... Annie Kay
Leaving Las Vegas (1995) .... Sera
Underneath (1995) .... Susan Crenshaw
Blind Justice (1994) (TV) .... Caroline
Radio Inside (1994) .... Natalie
Heart and Souls (1993) .... Anne
- Oral Sex, Lies and Videotape (1993) TV episode .... Maura Barish
Twenty Bucks (1993) .... Emily Adams
Hale the Hero (1992) (TV)
Soapdish (1991) .... Lori Craven / Angelique
The Marrying Man (1991) .... Adele Horner
Back to the Future Part III (1990) .... Jennifer Parker
Back to the Future Part II (1989) .... Jennifer Parker - Jennifer McFly
Body Wars (1989) .... Dr. Cynthia Lair
Cocktail (1988) .... Jordan Mooney
Adventures in Babysitting (1987) .... Chris Parker
Double Switch (1987) (TV) .... Kathy Shelton
Link (1986) .... Jane Chase
The Karate Kid (1984) .... Ali Mills
Somewhere, Tomorrow (1983) (as Lisa Shue) .... Margie

GINA GERSHON

Bound (1996) .... Corky
Showgirls (1995) .... Cristal Connors September 14, 2008

Good all around entertainment

Just a great favorite of mine from a while back. Always loved Elisabeth Shue! August 15, 2008

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