A talented New York City bartender takes a job at a bar in Jamaica and falls in love.A talented New York City bartender takes a job at a bar in Jamaica and falls in love.A talented New York City bartender takes a job at a bar in Jamaica and falls in love.
- Awards
- 5 wins & 6 nominations
- Dulcy
- (as Andrea Morse)
- Soldier
- (as Justin Louis)
- Job Interviewer
- (as Harvey Alperin)
- Job Interviewer
- (as Sandra Will Carradine)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaActress Gina Gershon stated in a podcast Interview that during their bed scene, Tom Cruise knew she was extremely ticklish and tickled her so hard, they both fell off the bed. It was, in fact, the take used in the movie.
- GoofsThe length of Brian's hair changes frequently.
- Quotes
[Last Barman poem]
Brian: I am the last barman poet / I see America drinking the fabulous cocktails I make / Americans getting stinky on something I stir or shake / The sex on the beach / The schnapps made from peach / The velvet hammer / The Alabama slammer. / I make things with juice and froth / The pink squirrel / The three-toed sloth. / I make drinks so sweet and snazzy / The iced tea / The kamakazi / The orgasm / The death spasm / The Singapore sling / The dingaling. / America you've just been devoted to every flavor I got / But if you want to got loaded / Why don't you just order a shot? / Bar is open.
- Alternate versionsSome TV versions have some alternate takes of some scenes with no harsh language, such as the scene when Brian and Doug have their bar fight.
- SoundtracksAll Shook Up
Written by Elvis Presley and Otis Blackwell
Performed and Produced by Ry Cooder
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
Cruise plays Brian Flanagan, a young man with a lot of dreams of making big bucks. After getting out of the service, he relentlessly seeks a job in New York City, finally snagging one as a bartender in a upper east side, trendy bar, where he works alongside Doug Coughlin, his boss. Before long they're an attraction in and of themselves, throwing bottles to one another, finishing off each other's drinks, all the while dancing, turning, and gyrating.
Brian goes to business school as well, but given his late nights, it's exhausting and not very fulfilling.
He and Doug both have dreams of owning their own bars, and the two become great friends. However, after a huge fight, Brian goes to Jamaica and runs a bar there, making good money and falling for Jordan, a pretty waitress (Shue). Then Doug shows up, having married rich, and when a very classy, upscale woman (Banes) comes to the bar, Doug bets Brian that he can't get to first base with her. He does, and Jordan sees him do it, and drops out of the picture.
Back in New York, Brian finds out living with a high-powered woman is no picnic - in fact, it's pretty humiliating -- and he runs into Jordan again.
"Cocktail" doesn't have much of a plot, but it has two very attractive leading men, sexy Bryan Brown and, of course, Cruise, handsome even with his old nose and looking quite different than he did in "The Color of Money." He's very charming,likable, and exudes a lot of youthful energy. He has some emotional moments, too, which he handles well.
"Cocktail" is a light film aimed at a younger crowd than I was even in 1988, but anyone can enjoy its swinging New York atmosphere, lazy Jamaican sun, great soundtrack, and two wild bartenders. Underneath it all, it's about the dreams of youth and the reality of being out in the world. That's a message everyone learns pretty quickly.
Everything New on Paramount+ in December
Everything New on Paramount+ in December
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Bartender
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $20,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $78,222,753
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,789,466
- Jul 31, 1988
- Gross worldwide
- $171,504,781
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1