Cocktail (1988)

Director:

Roger Donaldson

Writer (WGA):

Heywood Gould (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

When he pours, he reigns.

Plot:

A talented New York bartender takes a job at a bar in Jamaica and falls in love.

Plot Keywords:

Bartender | Cocktail | Cocktail Bar | Jamaica | Money

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Brian Flanagan
Bryan Brown	...	Doug Coughlin
Elisabeth Shue	...	Jordan Mooney
Lisa Banes	...	Bonnie
Laurence Luckinbill	...	Mr. Mooney
Kelly Lynch	...	Kerry Coughlin
Gina Gershon	...	Coral
Ron Dean	...	Uncle Pat
Robert Donley	...	Eddie
Ellen Foley	...	Eleanor
Andrea Morse	...	Dulcy
Chris Owens	...	Soldier
Justin Louis	...	Soldier
John Graham	...	Soldier
Richard Thorn	...	Soldier
Robert Greenberg	...	Job Interviewer
Harvey J. Alperin	...	Job Interviewer (as Harvey Alperin)
Sandra Will Carradine	...	Job Interviewer
Allan Wasserman	...	Job Interviewer
E. Hampton Beagle	...	Job Interviewer
Parker Whitman	...	Job Interviewer
Richard Livingston	...	Job Interviewer (as Rick Livingston)
Bill Bateman	...	Job Interviewer
Jean St. James	...	Job Interviewer (as Jean Pflieger)
Rosalyn Marshall	...	Job Interviewer
Jeff Silverman	...	Job Interviewer
Rich Crater	...	Job Interviewer
Marykate Harris	...	Job Interviewer
Lew Saunders	...	Job Interviewer
Jack Newman	...	Economics Teacher
Paul Benedict	...	Finance Teacher
Diane Douglass	...	Mrs. Rivkin
George Sperdakos	...	English Teacher
David Chant	...	Chinese Porter
Dianne Heatherington	...	First Waitress
Arlene Mazerolle	...	Second Waitress (as Arlene Mazerole)
Paul Abbott	...	Snotty Customer
Ellen Maguire	...	Bar Patron
Joseph Zaccone	...	Bar Patron
Larry Block	...	Bar Owner
Kelly Connell	...	Yuppie Poet
Gerry Bamman	...	Tourist
James Eckhouse	...	Tourist
Reathel Bean	...	Tourist
Peter Boyden	...	Tourist
Luther Hansraj	...	Ambulance Attendant
Leroy Gibbons	...	Singer
Rupert 'Ojiji' Harvey	...	'Messenjah' Band Member
Eric 'Babyface' Walsh	...	'Messenjah' Band Member
Hal 'Saint' Duggan	...	'Messenjah' Band Member
Walter 'Crash' Morgan	...	'Messenjah' Band Member
Charles 'Tower' Sinclair	...	'Messenjah' Band Member
Haile Yeates	...	'Messenjah' Band Member
Kenneth McGregor	...	Sculptor (as Ken McGregor)
Liisa Repo-Martell	...	Young Couple in Deli
Adam Furfaro	...	Young Couple in Deli
Kim Nelles	...	Female Artist
David L. Crowley	...	Doorman
James Mainprize	...	Butler
Gregg Baker	...	Bouncer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jaap Broeker	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Vivian Palermo	...	Barpatron (uncredited)
Garry Pastore	...	Well Dressed Man (uncredited)
Andrew Shue	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Roger Donaldson

Writing credits (WGA)
Heywood Gould		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert W. Cort	....	producer
Ted Field	....	producer
Daniel J. Heffner	....	co-producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
J. Peter Robinson

Cinematography by
Dean Semler

Film Editing by
Neil Travis

Casting by
Donna Isaacson
John S. Lyons		(as John Lyons)

Production Design by
Mel Bourne

Art Direction by
Dan Davis

Set Decoration by
Hilton Rosemarin

Costume Design by
Ellen Mirojnick

Makeup Department
Daniel Barrett	....	hair stylist
Linda Gill	....	makeup artist
Bob Grimaldi	....	hair stylist: New York (as Robert Grimaldi)
Ed Jackson	....	makeup artist: New York
Paul LeBlanc	....	hair stylist (as Paul Le Blanc)
Rick Sharp	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Coatsworth	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rob Cowan	....	first assistant director
Matt Fenton	....	dga trainee: New York
Christopher T. Gerrity	....	second assistant director: New York (as Christopher Gerrity)
Alex Kramarchuk	....	second second assistant director: New York
Michael London	....	third assistant director: Jamaica
Janet Spiegel	....	third assistant director
Michael Tadross	....	first assistant director: New York
Kim H. Winther	....	second assistant director (as Kim Winther)

Art Department
Joseph Alfieri	....	construction coordinator: New York
John Fisher	....	set dresser
Peter Hudecki	....	storyboard artist
Charles E. McCarry	....	art director: New York
Don Miloyevich	....	property master
Anthony C. Thorpe	....	property master
Dick Tice	....	lead man
Michael Zansky	....	lead scenic artist

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer
David Gertz	....	dubbing recordist
Richard Lightstone	....	sound mixer
Kim Maitland	....	sound recordist
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist

Stunts
Michael Estler	....	stunts
Branko Racki	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Julian Chojnacki	....	camera operator
Rob McEwan	....	still photographer
Tom Prate	....	key grip: New York
Randy Shanofsky	....	assistant camera
Massimo Zeri	....	assistant camera
Steven Cohen	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Karen Bellamy	....	costumer: Los Angeles (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Barbara Dunning	....	first assistant editor
Stephen L. Meek	....	apprentice editor
Lee Michael Searles	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jim Weidman	....	music editor

Other crew
Carole Childs	....	supervisor: "Cocktail" album
Cheryl Faye	....	choreographer
William Mapother	....	production assistant
Denis McCallion	....	location manager: LA
Joe McDougall	....	production assistant
Charles Miller	....	location manager: New York
Tim Sullivan	....	production assistant
Allen E. Taylor	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Interscope Communications
• Silver Screen Partners III
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (France) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Elektra Records  soundtrack

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Dunn's River Falls, Ocho Rios, St. Ann, Jamaica

Company:

Interscope Communications

Trivia:

Brian and Doug's bartending skills are referred to as "flair bartending." John Bandy, a flair bartender, trained Tom Cruise for the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: The amount of beer in Brian's glass.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Brian: Come on, put it to the floor! Come on! Let's go!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Beer Bad (#4.5)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

That Hypnotizing Boogie

Typical Hollywood entertainer: unsurprising, empty and enjoyable

It's been years since I saw Roger Donaldson's "Cocktail" for the last time. I remember it well enough to say that it was almost phenomenally standard love story/drama from the producers of Hollywood. It's actually hard to name a flick that's more basic in its own genre. Usual stuff or not, there was nothing wrong with it as long as the audience doesn't expect anything profound or ingenious. One user described "Cocktail" as "entertaining trash". I couldn't possibly agree more. This was one of Tom Cruise's first hit movies (alongside with "Top gun", "The Color of the money" and "Rain man"). It was his late 80's "pretty face" period. "Born on the fourth of July" started Cruise's career as a more serious actor and look where we are now. He played the leading part in Stanley Kubrick's final masterpiece in 1999 and the man still going strong.