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Parents' Guide to

Cocktail

By Jenny Doughty, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Traditional values trump glitz. Not for kids.

Movie R 1988 99 minutes
Cocktail Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

Charismatic Doug Coughlin (Bryan Brown) trains ambitious Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise) to become a flamboyantly successful New York bartender. Their flashy drink-mixing antics gain them work in a fashionable club, but they fight over a woman and Brian leaves to work in Jamaica, where he meets and falls in love with struggling artist-and-waitress Jordan Mooney. Greed wins out and Brian winds up shacking up with a rich fashion exec instead. Wracked with guilt, he seeks out Jordan only to find her pregnant with his child, secretly rich, and unwilling to take him back. With some tragic events that follow, Brian ultimately realizes what is truly valuable in life.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2 ):

COCKTAIL is essentially as 1980s shallow as the soundtrack music. There are some amusing one-liners, mostly delivered by Doug attempting to impart wisdom to his protégé through Coughlin's laws of bartending. The acrobatic drink-mixing scenes are great fun, but treat the consumption of alcohol superficially. Parents might want to address this issue with their teens while viewing the film.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what Brian learns from the suicide of his best friend and mentor. How does Doug's death inspire him to work hard to attain his dream? Families may also want to discuss the role of alcohol in this film. How is it glamorized? Is there an overall good message to the film?

Movie Details

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