Watch Arizona Dream

Arizona Dream is a surreal, offbeat comedy-drama movie that tells the story of a young man named Axel Blackmar (Johnny Depp) and his journey to self-discovery. Set in the southwest desert of the United States, the movie explores themes of love, death, and the pursuit of happiness through a series of unusual characters and events. Axel is a fish-tagger from New York who comes to Arizona to attend his uncle's (Jerry Lewis) wedding. While there, he meets two women who will significantly impact his life. The first is Elaine (Faye Dunaway), a wealthy widow who is Axel's uncle's fiancé. Elaine is fascinated with death and ruminates about it incessantly, causing Axel to question his beliefs about mortality. The second woman is Grace (Lili Taylor), a quirky teenager who works at a local auto dealership and becomes a love interest for Axel.

As the wedding approaches, Axel and his uncle find themselves at odds, with Axel questioning the validity of his uncle's new relationship. Meanwhile, Elaine tries to lure Axel into her world of death by educating him on the ways different cultures approach it. While Axel grapples with these issues, he also finds himself caught up in Grace's elaborate dream world, where they imagine themselves flying over Arizona in a car and living in an igloo.

As the story unfolds, the characters' lives become increasingly intertwined, leading to a series of bizarre and unexpected events. Axel is confronted with choices that will determine his future, including whether to stay in Arizona or return to his old life in New York.

Arizona Dream is a movie that defies categorization. It seamlessly blends drama, comedy, and surrealism, creating a quirky, captivating world that begs to be explored. Director Emir Kusturica manages to capture the idiosyncratic personalities of the characters, from Elaine's morbid fascination with death to Grace's whimsical flights of fancy. The cast, led by Johnny Depp in one of his early breakout roles, delivers fantastic performances that breathe life into the eccentric script.

The movie's cinematography is also worth noting, with gorgeous shots of the Arizona landscape and dreamlike sequences that blur the line between reality and imagination. The soundtrack, which includes music by Iggy Pop and the Gipsy Kings, complements the visuals perfectly, further immersing the viewer in the film's quirky world.

Despite its many strengths, Arizona Dream is not a conventional movie. Some viewers may find the plot meandering or the characters too eccentric to relate to. However, those who are willing to embrace the film's offbeat nature will find a delightful, thought-provoking gem that defies expectations.

In conclusion, Arizona Dream is a must-watch movie for fans of surreal cinema. Its unique blend of comedy, drama, and dreamlike imagery offer a refreshing departure from mainstream filmmaking, and the fantastic performances from the cast elevate it to a memorable experience. It's a movie that asks big questions about life, love, and mortality while still delivering plenty of laughs and unexpected moments.

Arizona Dream is a 1993 fantasy movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 59 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 62.