Product Details

• Actors: Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, Elisabeth Shue, Lisa Banes, Laurence Luckinbill
• Directors: Dean Semler, Roger Donaldson
• Writers: Heywood Gould
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: August 13, 2002
• Run Time: 104 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (117 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000065V3G
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,887 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Cocktail" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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

Product Description

Tom Cruise is electrifying as Brian Flanagan, a young, confident, and ambitious bartender who, with the help of a seasoned pro (Bryan Brown -- GORILLAS IN THE MIST, F/X 2), becomes the toast of Manhattan's Upper East Side. But when he moves to Jamaica and meets an independent artist (Elisabeth Shue -- ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING, HOLLOW MAN), their vivid romance brings a new perspective to the self-centered bartender's life. Sizzling with high-powered performances and a #1 hit soundtrack, the box office blockbuster COCKTAIL has it all!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun film July 29, 2002

By A Customer

Format:DVD

For those people who gave this film poor ratings, I think they're missing the point. It's supposed to be a fun film over all. It's not supposed to be serious acting with a heavy plot. Sometimes it's nice to watch a film where you don't have to think... you just sit down and enjoy. I personally enjoy films that 'take me someplace,' either physically or emotionally. This one takes you on a bit of a roller coast ride with Tom Cruise's character. While on that ride, you get to travel around to hip bars and tropical islands. There are a few emotional bumps in his path, but all turns out well with a nice happy ending. No, the film is not rocket science, nor is it supposed to be. It won't win an Oscar either, but if you're looking for an enjoyable movie where you can just sit down, relax, and have a good time, this might be a good selection for you.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Coming From A Batender...... June 29, 2000

By Rick

Format:VHS Tape

This movie was very entertaining in all ways! I actually learned a lot from this movie as a bartender! Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown worked extremely well together. Get this movie if you want to laugh, feel sad, and then feel good again.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Tom At His Heigth Of Superstardom" January 17, 2011

By Terry Richard TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

Before Tom Cruise was known as a crazed, jumping individual (anyone remember his appearance on "Oprah"?) and after his breakthrough performance in 1986's "Top Gun" Tom appeared in a line of successful Hollywood films making him the biggest box office attraction of his generation. "Cocktail" is one of the films that solidified Cruise as the most popular male star of the late eighties and early nineties.

I hadn't watched "Cocktail" in over ten years, but recently purchased the film on DVD. I completely forgot how dated the movie is; everything from the big, curly female hairdos to the tacky eighties music score and songs epitomozes how much the film was of its era. Still, if you can get past those minor issues the film is quite good. Tom gives a convincing performance as a young man who comes to New York City with dreams of becoming successful in the business world. After failing miserably in college (while bartending) Brian Flannigan (Cruise's character) decides to go to Jamaica with his best friend, make some quick cash, and open his own bar in the Big Apple. There's a nice love story here and Tom has never looked better, especially in the Jamaican scenes with his amazing tan.

The film grossed an amazing $80,000,000 on a $6,000,000 budget and is now known for some of the songs used in the film, tracks performed by the Beach Boys and Bobby McFarrin.

In recent years Touchstone Pictures has released "Cocktail" in a two DVD set with Tom's "The Color of Money" film from 1986, a picture he starred in with Paul Newman.