Tequila Sunrise

Name: Tequila Sunrise
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Romance
Released: 1988-12-02
Duration: 1 h 55 min
Rating: 6.1
Cast: Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Raúl Juliá, J.T. Walsh

1988·Movie·R·115 min·★ 6.1(592)

Thriller Crime Romance More English titles

“A business on the line. A friendship on the edge. A woman caught in the middle.”

In a seaside California town, best friends Mac and Nick are on opposite sides of the law. Mac is a former drug dealer trying to clean up his act, while Nick is a high-profile detective trying to take down a Mexican drug lord named Carlos. Soon Nick's loyalties are put to the test when he begins an affair with restaurateur Jo Ann -- a love interest of Mac's -- unwittingly leading his friend into a police-orchestrated trap.

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Where to watch Tequila Sunrise in United States

Can I watch Tequila Sunrise in United States? Yes — you can stream Tequila Sunrise in United States on YouTube Free, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

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Click a service to open Tequila Sunrise there. Availability last verified on August 20, 2026.

Where is Tequila Sunrise streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	YouTube Free	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
India	—	Amazon Video
United Kingdom	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
Canada	—	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, CosmoGo
Australia	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
Germany	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
France	—	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Canal VOD
Spain	—	Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Google Play Movies
Brazil	Looke, Looke Amazon Channel, NetMovies	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Japan	HBO Max on U-Next	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies

About Tequila Sunrise

Tequila Sunrise is a 1988 English-language thriller, crime and romance film directed by Robert Towne. The cast is led by Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell. It has a runtime of 1h 55m. Viewers rate it 6.1/10 across 600 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on YouTube Free.

Tequila Sunrise was produced by Cinema City Films, The Mount Company, and Warner Bros. Pictures and made in United States of America. It was released on December 2, 1988, and carries a R certification. Made on a budget of about $23 million, it went on to gross $106 million worldwide.

Director: Robert Towne
Writers: Robert Towne
Release date: December 2, 1988
Original language: English
Age rating: R
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Budget: $23 million
Box office: $106 million
Production: Cinema City Films, The Mount Company, Warner Bros. Pictures

#drug dealer#restaurant owner#woman between two men#cop#organized crime#best friend#los angeles, california#drug lord#seaside town#best friends#opposite sides of the law

Tequila Sunrise cast & crew

Tequila Sunrise was directed by Robert Towne and written by Robert Towne.

The cast features Mel Gibson as Dale "Mac" McKussic, Michelle Pfeiffer as Jo Ann Vallenari, Kurt Russell as Lieutenant Nick Frescia, Raúl Juliá as Commandante Xavier Escalante, J.T. Walsh as DEA Agent Hal McGuire, and Arliss Howard as Gregg Lindroff.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Dave Grusin, cinematography is by Conrad Hall, and it was produced by Thom Mount and Tom Shaw.

Is Tequila Sunrise worth watching?

Tequila Sunrise holds an audience score of 6.1/10 from 592 ratings, a solidly received thriller films.

At 1h 55m, it's a standard feature-length watch.

If you enjoy thriller, crime, and romance, Tequila Sunrise is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch Tequila Sunrise

In United States, you can stream Tequila Sunrise on YouTube Free, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.