4 star restoration of an underrated eighties treasure.
Tequila Sunrise is an American crime/drama/romance film, originally released in 1988 and written and directed by Robert Towne (Personal Best, Without Limits).
It has enjoyed a 4K restoration and is available to own in the UK on Limited Edition 4K UHD from 14th September 2026, courtesy of Arrow Video.
“Let’s see now, you’ve lost half a million dollars, confiscated a ton of useless coke, and been responsible for the murder of a federal informant, and that, that’s just tonight.”
Dale “Mac” McKussic (Mel Gibson – Air America, Lethal Weapon) is a former drug dealer trying very hard to get back on the straight and narrow, not least so he can concentrate on raising his young son. He’s finding this very tricky however, as no-one wants him to quit. His best friend since childhood, Nick Frescia (Kurt Russell – Poseidon, Soldier) is a detective with the L.A. Sheriff’s Department and will, despite their friendship, bring him to justice if he starts dealing again.
Frescia suspects that Mac may be planning one last job, as D.E.A. agent Hal McGuire (J.T. Walsh – Breakdown, Sling Blade) believes Mexican drug lord and long term contact of Mac’s Carlos is coming to town. Mac frequents a local Italian restaurant, mainly because he is romantically interested in the owner Jo Anne (Michelle Pfeiffer – What Lies Beneath, One Fine Day) and Nick begins to sniff around there too, hoping to get some intel on his old friend and his activities.
With both men falling for the lovely Jo Anne and the Mexican Comandante Xavier Escalante (Raul Julia – The Addams Family, Presumed Innocent) getting in on the case, can Mac keep on track and navigate this increasingly complicated situation?
 “Mr. McKussic, it seems, has been engaged in his business for purely romantic reasons, whilst you have been engaged in romance for purely business reasons.”
Tequila Sunrise is a very entertaining film to watch. The cast is amazing and everyone puts in excellent performances, as you would expect. 
The story is also fascinating, although in places it can get a little confusing and it’s extremely complicated, sometimes unnecessarily so. That said, as long as you pay attention, it all works out in the end and it’s well worth sticking with it.
It’s a great piece of eighties nostalgia and one of the lesser known films to star all of these big names in the prime of their careers. This is a superb package from Arrow, bringing it to glorious crispy detail, with a great soundtrack too. With lots of special features, many of them new, this will grace any 4K Collection.
“What is it? You need some chap stick or lip gloss or something? Because your lips keep getting stuck on your teeth. Or is that your idea of a smile?”
Tequila Sunrise is available to own now on Limited Edition 4K UHD.
4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative by Arrow Films
- 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Original and newly restored lossless stereo and 4.0 audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Audio commentary by producer Thom Mount
- California Dreaming, a brand new interview with producer Thom Mount
- From Chinatown to Manhattan Beach, a brand new appreciation of Robert Towne by Lucy Bolton
- Sunrise to Sunset, a brand new interview with 2nd AD Robert Roda
- Sin City, a brand new interview with actor Lala Sloatman
- Image gallery
- Theatrical trailer
- Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Sean Hogan and Josh Nelson, and excerpts from American Cinematographer
- Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
| Director | Robert Towne |
| Genre | Crime, drama, romance |
| Starring | Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer, Raul Julia |