Raising Arizona (1987)

Of the Coen Brothers' zany "doofus" comedies, "Raising Arizona" remains the funniest. (I always prefer their darker fare.) There are some stand out moments in this film about a ne'er do well repeat offender (Nicolas Cage) who falls for the jailer (Holly Hunter) who takes his mug shot time and time again after a series of arrests. The hi-jinks kick into gear when the barren couple hatches a plan to kidnap one of five sons born to wealthy furniture salesman (Trey Wilson, stealing the show) named Nathan Arizona. This romp has some classic moments: 1) The kidnapping scene in which Cage juggles five toddlers is a highlight in the actor's spotty career, and 2) The shot of poor Nathan Jr. left sitting in his baby seat in the middle of a highway is priceless. (This is a Coens film, and not for the faint of moral.) The plot relies much on dumb Midwesterners doing dumb stuff, and there's little depth, but "Arizona" is loose, fast and perfectly strange. A-