Tequila Sunrise Is A Great 1980s Crime Drama With An All Star Cast. Robert Towne’s 1988 Film Mixes Crime, Romance, Suspense And Just Enough Comedy To Make It A Very Entertaining Movie.
Tequila Sunrise Is A Great 1980s Crime Drama With An All Star Cast. Robert Towne’s 1988 Film Mixes Crime, Romance, Suspense And Just Enough Comedy To Make It A Very Entertaining Movie.
Tequila Sunrise is one of those movies that feels like a perfect example of what Hollywood was doing really well in the 1980s. It has a great cast, a crime story, romance, beautiful locations and enough complicated relationships to keep things interesting without becoming difficult to follow.
The movie stars Mel Gibson as Dale “Mac” McKussic, a former drug dealer who is trying to leave his criminal past behind. Gibson was already a major star by this point, and he gives Mac the kind of relaxed confidence that makes the character believable. Mac is not exactly a perfect guy, but you can tell he genuinely wants to build a different life.
Kurt Russell plays Lieutenant Nick Frescia, a Los Angeles police officer who has known Mac for years. The two have a complicated friendship because Nick is a cop and Mac used to be involved in the drug business. Nick is suspicious of Mac, but there is also a genuine bond between them that makes their relationship much more interesting than a simple cop versus criminal story.
Michelle Pfeiffer plays Jo Ann Vallen, the woman caught between the two men. Pfeiffer was fantastic during this period, and she brings a lot of personality to Jo Ann. The romantic triangle between Mac, Nick and Jo Ann gives the movie another layer because the story is not just about drugs and police investigations.
The plot revolves around Mac trying to stay out of the drug business while Nick continues investigating him. Things become much more complicated when a major drug dealer named Carlos is looking to get back into the picture. Nick suspects that Mac may be involved in something bigger than he is admitting, and Mac’s past makes it difficult for anyone to completely trust him.
One of the best things about Tequila Sunrise is that nobody feels completely black and white. Mac is a former criminal who wants to change, Nick is a cop who has his own questionable methods and Jo Ann is trying to figure out which man she can actually trust. That gives the movie more personality than a standard crime thriller.
Robert Towne directed the film and also wrote the screenplay. Towne was already famous for writing Chinatown, and Tequila Sunrise has some of that same interest in complicated characters and morally questionable situations. He clearly understands that a good crime movie does not need to be nothing but shootouts and police investigations.
The movie also has a terrific supporting cast. Raul Julia plays Carlos, while J.T. Walsh, Gabriel Damon and Arliss Howard add to the cast. Having actors who can make even smaller roles memorable is one of the reasons these older movies are so enjoyable to watch.
There is also some comedy throughout the movie, although I would not call Tequila Sunrise a straight comedy. The humor mostly comes from the personalities and relationships between the characters. Gibson and Russell have a natural chemistry that allows some of their conversations to be funny even when the situation around them is serious.
That balance is actually one of the things I like most about the film. Tequila Sunrise can move from a romantic scene to a police investigation and then into something funny without feeling like the movie has completely changed genres. It has a laid back quality that makes the characters more important than simply moving the plot from one action scene to another.
The cinematography and locations also give the movie a very specific late 1980s atmosphere. Los Angeles looks great, and the film has that polished Hollywood crime movie appearance that you just do not see as often anymore. Everything from the cars to the clothes to the restaurants gives it a time capsule quality.
Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell and Michelle Pfeiffer are really the heart of the movie. All three were major stars, but none of them feels like they are simply showing up to play themselves. Their chemistry carries the romantic and criminal sides of the story, and it is easy to understand why the movie works even during its slower moments.
Tequila Sunrise is also a good example of why character driven crime movies can be just as entertaining as movies built around nonstop action. The tension comes from wondering whether Mac can actually escape his past and whether Nick can separate his friendship with Mac from his job as a police officer.
I also think the movie benefits from not making everything too serious. There is plenty of crime and danger, but the humor and personality keep it from becoming overly dark. That combination of crime, romance, suspense and comedy gives Tequila Sunrise its own identity.
For me, that is why Tequila Sunrise remains a fun movie to revisit. It has three excellent leads, a strong supporting cast, a talented director and a story that gives everybody something to do. It may not be the biggest or most explosive crime movie of the 1980s, but it does not need to be.
Tequila Sunrise is ultimately a stylish and entertaining crime film that is carried by its cast and its characters. Gibson, Russell and Pfeiffer are all great, Robert Towne gives the movie a smart screenplay, and the mixture of crime, romance and comedy makes it an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys classic 1980s Hollywood movies.