Cocktail is a 1988 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Roger Donaldson from a screenplay by Heywood Gould, and based on Gould's book of the same name. It stars Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown and Elisabeth Shue. It tells the story of a young New York City business student, who takes up bartending in order to make ends meet.

Released on July 29, 1988, by Buena Vista Pictures (under its adult film label Touchstone Pictures), Cocktail features an original music score composed by J. Peter Robinson. Despite earning overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, and winning the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture, the film was a huge box office success, grossing more than $170 million worldwide against a budget of $20 million. 

Cocky Brian Flanagan, just finished with his stint in the army, heads back to NYC and is eager to land a high-powered job in the business world. When he fails, he settles for work as a bartender while attending business school during the day.

Doug Coughlin, an older and experienced bartender, takes Brian under his wing and teaches him how to flair. They become friends, with Doug giving Brian the idea for a nationwide chain of bars called Cocktails and Dreams. Brian drops out of business school and they become popular bartenders at a trendy nightclub.

Eventually, their flairing act catches the eye of Coral, a wealthy photographer, and she and Brian begin dating. Doug bets Brian that the relationship won't last and, unbeknownst to Brian, convinces Coral to sleep with him. After Brian finds out, he has a nasty fight with Doug in front of a full bar and dissolves their partnership.

Two years later, Brian is working at a beachside bar in Jamaica, hoping to save enough money for his own bar. He meets beautiful artist Jordan Mooney and they begin a passionate relationship. Out of the blue, Doug shows up, now married to the wealthy, flirtatious and much younger Kerry, and bets Brian that he can't attract Bonnie, a wealthy older woman. Brian accepts his challenge and wins Bonnie over. Jordan is devastated when she spots Brian and Bonnie drunkenly walking to Bonnie's hotel room. The next morning, Brian regrets the fling and seeks out Jordan, only to find she has left for the United States.

Brian returns to New York with Bonnie, hoping she will get him the corporate job he wants, but soon feels marginalized and resents her lifestyle. While attending an art exhibit, Brian has an altercation with the artist in front of Bonnie's friends, leading them to break up.

Brian tries to reconcile with Jordan, but she angrily refuses. When calmer, she reveals she is pregnant with his child and does not want him in her life because she does not want to be hurt again. After he tries again to talk to Jordan, a neighbor tells him she has moved into her parents’ upscale Park Avenue apartment. Jordan's father, Richard, tries to pay Brian off, but he refuses. Jordan explains that she hid her wealth because she wanted him to love her for who she was. To illustrate how little he cares about her money, he tears up her father's check and leaves.

Brian finds Doug on his new yacht and thinks he has finally achieved the financial success they both wanted. However, Doug tells him that when his business began to fail, he invested all of Kerry's money in commodities and lost her entire wealth.

When Brian takes Kerry to her apartment, she says she is bored with marriage and tries to seduce him, but he rebuffs her. He goes back to Doug's boat and finds him dead from suicide. Kerry mails a letter to Brian that was left for him by Doug, which turns out to be Doug's suicide note, explaining that his life was a fraud.

Distraught, but determined to win Jordan over, Brian tries to visit her, but is stopped by security who has been told by Jordan's father not to admit him. He fights his way up to the apartment, tells her of Doug's death and says he doesn't want to make the same mistake by being too proud to ask for help. He says his Uncle Pat has given him a loan to start his own bar and confidently predicts that he will be successful.

When Jordan still hesitates, Brian declares his love for her, that he wants to marry her and take care of her and their child. She agrees to take him back, but Richard interferes, leading to a fight where a security guard assaults Jordan. As they leave, Richard tells them they are on their own and Brian answers that he prefers it that way.

Brian and Jordan marry and he finally lives out his dream, opening his own bar, Flanagan's Cocktails and Dreams, with hopes of starting franchises across the country. At the grand opening, Jordan whispers that she is pregnant with twins. In his happiness and much to his Uncle's chagrin, he proclaims that drinks are “on the house” and the bar is open. 

Tom Cruise ... Brian Flanagan

Bryan Brown ... Doug Coughlin

Elisabeth Shue ... Jordan Mooney

Lisa Banes ... Bonnie

Laurence Luckinbill ... Mr. Mooney

Kelly Lynch ... Kerry Coughlin

Gina Gershon ... Coral

Ron Dean ... Uncle Pat

Robert Donley ... Eddie

Ellen Foley ... Eleanor

Andrea Doven ... Dulcy (as Andrea Morse)

Chris Owens ... Soldier

Louis Ferreira ... Soldier (as Justin Louis)

John Graham John Graham ... Soldier

Richard Thorn Richard Thorn ... Soldier

Robert Greenberg ... Job Interviewer

Harvey J. Alperin ... Job Interviewer (as Harvey Alperin)

Sandra Ann Will Carradine  ... Job Interviewer (as Sandra Will Carradine)

Allan Wasserman ... Job Interviewer

E. Hampton Beagle ... Job Interviewer

Parker Whitman ... Job Interviewer

Richard Livingston ... Job Interviewer (as Rick Livingston)

Bill Bateman ... Job Interviewer

Jean St. James ... Job Interviewer (as Jean Pflieger)

Rosalyn Marshall ... Job Interviewer

Jeff Silverman ... Job Interviewer

Rich Crater ... Job Interviewer

Marykate Harris ... Job Interviewer

Lew Saunders ... Job Interviewer

Jack Newman ... Economics Teacher

Paul Benedict ... Finance Teacher

Diane Douglass ... Mrs. Rivkin

George Sperdakos ... English Teacher

David Chant ... Chinese Porter

Dianne Heatherington ... First Waitress

Arlene Mazerolle ... Second Waitress (as Arlene Mazerole)

Paul Abbott ... Snotty Customer

Ellen Maguire ... Bar Patron

Joseph Zaccone ... Bar Patron

Larry Block ... Bar Owner

Kelly Connell ... Yuppie Poet

Gerry Bamman ... Tourist

James Eckhouse ... Tourist

Reathel Bean ... Tourist

Peter Boyden ... Tourist

Luther Hansraj ... Ambulance Attendant

Leroy Gibbons ... Singer

Rupert 'Ojiji' Harvey ... 'Messenjah' Band Member

Eric 'Babyface' Walsh Eric 'Babyface' Walsh ... 'Messenjah' Band Member

Hal 'Saint' Duggan ... 'Messenjah' Band Member

Walter 'Crash' Morgan ... 'Messenjah' Band Member

Charles 'Tower' Sinclair ... 'Messenjah' Band Member

Haile Yeates ... 'Messenjah' Band Member

Kenneth McGregor ... Sculptor (as Ken McGregor)

Liisa Repo-Martell ... Young Couple in Deli

Adam Furfaro ... Young Couple in Deli

Kim Nelles ... Female Artist

David L. Crowley ... Doorman

James Mainprize ... Butler

Gregg Baker ... Bouncer

David Berni ... Doorman (uncredited)

Jaap Broeker ... Doorman (uncredited)

Shelley Markevich ... Bar Patron (uncredited)

Vivian Palermo ... Barpatron (uncredited)

Garry Pastore ... Well Dressed Man (uncredited)

Andrew Shue ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Karen Starr ... Club Patron (uncredited)