APRIL SHOWERS: Rain Man (1988)

rain man

Now that Jared and Clint have escaped from Mars, they’re stuck on an Earth that perpetually rains! While they figure a way out of this conundrum, they’ll review movies with ‘Rain’ in the title all April! This week starts with 1988’s Best Picture winner Rain Man, starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman as a pair of mismatched brothers – one a selfish yuppie, the other an autistic savant – reconnecting amidst all manner of shenanigans. Despite inspiring a number of crass depictions of developmental disorders in Hollywood and pop culture, the movie itself remains a sweet, funny and surprisingly heartfelt movie. Enjoy it along with our custom cocktail and drinking rules!

(NOTE: Given that autism is a serious issue, and the discourse around it can be complicated, we attempted to discuss it in as sensitive a way as we could – particularly in the context of the film. We’re more than happy to hear feedback if there are terms, preconceptions or attitudes we use that do not reflect that experience accurately, so we can be more mindful in the future.)

(Thanks to our sponsor Iron Galaxy as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!)

LISTEN HERE OR DOWNLOAD:

THIS EPISODE’S DRINK: Celebration Piss

Named after one of Cruise’s funnier lines, this cocktail is inspired by all of Raymond’s favorite drinks, like Mott’s Apple Juice and orange soda. We threw in some vanilla bark bitters and mint to cut through the cloying quality of the orange soda. Don’t forget to garnish it with a Cheeto!

2 parts apple brandy
2 parts orange soda
Dash, vanilla bark bitters
1-2 sprigs, fresh mint

Combine in a cocktail glass and garnish with mint. Serve with Cheeto garnish. 

DRINKING RULES FOR RAIN MAN:

  1. Whenever a character (not just Raymond) says “Definitely”
  2. Any time Raymond says “yeah”
  3. Every time Raymond and Charlie stand or walk side-by-side in a shot

FINISH YOUR DRINK WHEN:

Raymond defiantly says, “K-Mart sucks.”

Join us next week as we stay in the rain for the Christian Slater heist thriller Hard Rain!

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About Alcohollywood Staff

The film staff of the film website/podcast Alcohollywood.

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