This movie has a cast to die for; Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Raul Julia, J.T. Walsh, Arliss Howard. It makes you wonder though why they all ever agreed to appear in this movie. It's a waste of their talents really, since the movie its script doesn't provide the movie with anything interesting or exciting. Instead it more often confuses and bores.

I was real disappointed by the movie its script. While '80's police movies also aren't exactly know for their great or original stories but this story is even worse than usual. In the end you just stop carrying about anything that is happening in this movie or for any of its characters, since the movie has dragged along for far too long. The movie is lacking a certain depth with its story. In all honesty the movie really didn't started off too bad but its one of those movies that gets worse by the minute. In the end it makes you regret you've ever watched it.

It's sad that not even the great cast could put some life into the movie and its story. It's also a rather unknown movie from each of the movie its actors. They still try their very best but no, I can't really say it helps much. Although it of course is certainly true that the presence of actors such as Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Raul Julia and J.T. Walsh still uplifts the movie. I mean, with a totally different and unknown cast the movie would had been far worse for sure.

What the movie is lacking is some good action. It would at least had made the movie more interesting to watch. And when you have an '80's action-star such as Mel Gibson in your movie, why not use that? Instead now the movie feels like a movie done action-crime-thriller movie style but without any action in it and also without much thriller elements, since the movie is just not exciting or original enough to allow any of these elements to completely work out.

The movie also suffers from an horrible '80's music curse; the '80's music! It's so dreadful, hearing constantly some idiot playing his saxophone as loud as he can, with an occasional guitar and drums joining in. It's a score you can normally expected in a bad porn-flick.

Oh well, it's not exactly as if this is THE worst movie ever made but it also isn't exactly a movie I would recommend to anyone, despite the presence of some good big names in it.

5/10

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I honestly expected something more from this film. The script is based on interesting premises and has everything to create a pleasant atmosphere of suspense, with touches of romance and action, but I felt that the film has no impulse or depth, lacking impact with the audience. It is too light, and we watched it without thinking too much.

The script is based on a love triangle between two childhood friends, one of whom, Mac, is a former drug dealer and the other, Frescia, an agent in the Narcotics Division. They are both interested in Jo Ann, the manager of an Italian restaurant they used to go. But the chief of police is convinced that Mac is not out of the drug business and he's preparing a visit of a powerful drug barom for a big deal. So, Frescia decides to involve Jo Ann, and ask him to spy on Mac, while trying to take advantage of the situation to seduce her.

The film relies heavily on dialogue and cast's performance. And there is no doubt that dialogues were very well made. The main actors are also good and leaved us an excellent work, particularly Michelle Pfeiffer and Mel Gibson, who build a truly enviable chemistry. Kurt Russell is also very good, although he is not able to meet with his colleagues, who almost throw him into the gloom. On the other side, Raul Julia barely gave life to a caricature, given that he limited himself to follow the list of Latin stereotypes: histrionic, he speaks loudly, screams and exaggerates in the demonstrations of affectivity.

Technically, the film has an excellent cinematography and filming work, which earned it its single Oscar nomination. The influence of noir is quite clear in this film. The scenario is complete when we consider the regular effects, the good sets and costumes and a dated soundtrack, not very elegant and worthy to be left in the forgetfulness where it fell.

"Tequila Sunrise" is a glossy, star-studded, crime drama in which romance, humour and action all figure prominently but it's the intriguing natures of its characters that provide the movie's greatest strength. These people are not to be taken at face value as their motivations are often complicated by internal and external conflicts that emerge because of issues concerned with their most valued personal relationships and situations that test their levels of commitment, loyalty and trust to the absolute maximum.

Dale "Mac" McKussic (Mel Gibson) and Detective Lieutenant Nick Frescia (Kurt Russell) have been close friends since their high school days but pressure has been brought to bear on their friendship in recent years because they've been working on different sides of the law. Mac, who has recently retired from dealing in drugs, is finding it hard to distance himself from the business as the loss of income involved is causing problems with his estranged wife and this, in turn, could jeopardise the amount of time he gets to spend with his young son. Furthermore, his cousin Gregg (Arliss Howard) is continually pressing him to get involved in some new deals and his long-time friend, a Mexican drug dealer called Carlos, wants him to take part in a very lucrative scheme that he's currently working on.

Nick's loyalty to Mac and his obvious unwillingness to arrest him has created tensions in his police work in the past but if Mac has not genuinely retired, then it could transpire that Nick would have no other choice than to arrest him in the near future, especially as his department has received information about a major shipment of drugs that Carlos intends to bring in to L.A. Agent Hal Maguire (J T Walsh) of the Drug Enforcement Agency works closely with Nick and is convinced that Mac is still dealing. The differing attitudes that these men have towards Mac's activities is the cause of continuous conflict between them.

Mac and Nick both fall for the beautiful owner of a high class Italian restaurant. Jo Ann Vallenari (Michelle Pfeiffer) is very cool. sophisticated and measured in what she says but is undeniably attracted to both men. Nick makes the mistake of trying to use his relationship with her to elicit information about Mac and Carlos and this makes her turn her attention more strongly to Mac who she finds to be far more sincere. Meanwhile, a joint operation involving the D.E.A. and the Mexican police led by Commandante Xavier Escalante (Raul Julia) is under way to capture Carlos and of course, anyone doing business with him.

"Tequila Sunrise" is a visual treat with great camera-work, lighting and beautiful scenes such as the one in which Mac and Nick are shown in silhouette against a stunning background. Their darkened figures seem to emphasise the closeness of their friendship because when seen purely as two shadowed profiles, the differences and conflicts between them appear to become insignificant.

Mel Gibson conveys the uncertainty that his character experiences during a period in his life when he's feeling more apprehensive and vulnerable than he has in the past and Kurt Russell successfully makes Nick's mixture of genuine and manipulative characteristics seem perfectly believable. Michelle Pfeiffer displays great poise but is also convincing in showing her emotional reactions to certain situations and Raul Julia and J T Walsh are terrific in their supporting roles.

Not enough attention seems to have been given to the pacing of the action in this movie but overall, it is extremely entertaining to watch and contains some witty dialogue.