Tom Cruise is among the last true Hollywood stars, remnant of the era when great actors turned films into hits whether those films deserved it or not. In the case of Cocktail, 1988 drama directed by Roger Donaldson, it was the latter.
Film is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Heywood Gould, which had been inspired by author’s attempts to support his fledgling writing career by working as bartender. Protagonist, played by Cruise, is Brian Flanagan, young man of modest background who dreams of becoming rich and successful in Manhattan. Following service in US Army, he tries to get job in respectable firms only to discover that he lacks proper academic credentials. He enrols in business school and finances his studies as bartender, where he is taught skills of the trade by older and cynical colleague Doug Coughlin (played by Bryan Brown). Brian proves to be good student and learns to prepare and serve drinks in such spectacularly entertaining way that he becomes popular, especially among women who find him irresistible. After falling out with Doug, Brian goes to Jamaica in order to earn large amount of money at exotic beach bars. Instead, he finds Jordan Mooney (played by Elisabeth Shue), New York waitress with whom he immediately falls in love and start relationship with. However, Doug comes to Jamaica, apparently financially settled after marrying rich woman Kerry Coughlin (played by Kelly Lynch). He dares Brian to do same thing and seduce rich woman named Bonnie (played by Lisa Banes). Brian accepts the challenge and soon regrets it, because Jordan leaves him and, later, he desperately tries to reconcile with woman who is actually true love of his life.
Gould, who also wrote the screenplay, wanted Cocktail to be serious drama that would deal with important issues like social class, clash of youthful ambitions with hard realities of adulthood and rampant hyper-materialism of 1980s urban America. Traces of what this film was supposed to be can be found in its first part, where it tells the tale of young man from the bottom trying to reach the top with at least some realism, with main characters being not only imperfect but also turning quite unsympathetic. This is especially the case with Doug, who is nevertheless played well by Bryan Brown, Australian actor in one of his last big 1980s Hollywood production. Unfortunately, Doug doesn’t appear much in the film and his ultimate fate probably points what Gould wanted originally to say. Unfortunately, at the half of the running time Cocktail turns into stereotypical romance film, with love story being predictable, burdened with cliches and, what is even more insulting, both Brian and Jordan acting like idiots audience can’t have sympathy for. Director Roger Donaldson, however, does try to hide these flaws with stylish production design, attractive Jamaica locations and couple of energetic scenes in which Brian and Doug display so-called “flair bartending” in perfect harmony with loud 1980s pop soundtrack. But the greatest asset of the film is Cruise who took his role quite seriously and even practised bartending in order to portray his character as convincingly as possible. Cruise with his boyish grin does good job, but he can’t overcome script’s limitations and same can be said for the rest of the cast, including Elisabeth Shue whose charms are powerless in front of terrible characterisation. Cruise nevertheless made audience flock to theatres and made film one of the big hits of its time. Critics delivered completely different verdict, later validated by Razzie for the Worst Picture. Cruise later admitted that critics weren’t wrong and Cocktail wasn’t “crown jewel of his career”. Although watchable, this film proves how great actors can, or at least could, bring success to something quite undeserving.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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