Cocktail (1988 film)

Cocktail is a 1988 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Roger Donaldson and written by Heywood Gould, based on Gould's novel.

Cocktail is a 1988 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Roger Donaldson and written by Heywood Gould, based on Gould's novel. It stars Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, and Elisabeth Shue, and follows a young man who works as a bartender while pursuing money, status, and love. The film was a major box-office success despite largely negative reviews.

Plot

The film follows Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise), a business student who works as a bartender while trying to build a career and improve his prospects. The story moves from New York to Jamaica and includes his relationship with Jordan Mooney (Elisabeth Shue).

Production

Cocktail was directed by Roger Donaldson from a screenplay by Heywood Gould, adapted from Gould's own book. It was produced and distributed by Touchstone Pictures.

Reception

The film was widely criticised by reviewers at the time of release. It received poor critical reviews and won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture. It later became notable for the contrast between its poor critical reception and strong box-office performance.

Box office performance

Cocktail earned about $171.5 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $20 million. This made it a major commercial hit in 1988.