Cocktail II

Title: COCKTAIL: EUROPEAN SUNSET
Sequel to the 1988 film “Cocktail”
Starring Tom Cruise, Elizabeth Shue, Joseph C. Jukic, and Nelly Furtado
Inspired by the book “The Complete Bartender” by Robyn M. Feller
Set on the beaches of Croatia and Portugal

Opening Scene: Manhattan, Winter
Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise) stands behind a sleek New York bar. His once wild flair now refined, he’s built a high-end cocktail empire. But something’s missing. The dream he once chased—money, fame, elegance—feels hollow.

Jordan (Elizabeth Shue) paints in the corner of their penthouse studio, watching the snow fall. “You need a break, Brian. You need a new spark.”

A postcard arrives.

It’s from Joe, an old friend from a bartending convention in Berlin.
“Come to Europe. The sun’s different here. So is the booze.”
—JCJ, Split, Croatia.

Act I: The Beach Bars of Croatia
Brian lands in Split, greeted by Joseph C. Jukic, a legend in underground cocktail circuits, known for mixing ancient Balkan herb liquors with Japanese technique and Havana soul.

JCJ’s bar—"Alkemija"—is carved into the side of a cliff, with tables overlooking the Adriatic. It’s wild, honest, spiritual. Locals dance barefoot. The drinks are like dreams.

JCJ hands Brian a copy of “The Complete Bartender” by Robyn M. Feller.
“This book is your Bible now. Forget the shaker tricks. This is mixology as alchemy.”

Brian watches JCJ make a drink called The Adriatic Flame, with rosemary smoke, travarica, and honey pulled from a local monastery.

“This... this is a cocktail?” Brian asks.

“No,” JCJ says, grinning. “It’s a spell.”

Act II: Lisbon, Fado, and Furtado
JCJ takes Brian on a road trip down the coast to Portugal, chasing the myth of a lost cocktail from a sunken pirate ship—a mix known as The Saint's Whisper, last recorded in a 17th-century Portuguese sailor’s journal.

They find it not in a museum, but in a beach bar run by Luna (Nelly Furtado)—a former pop star turned mystic mixologist who uses fruit only grown on cliffside farms and sings Fado between pours.

Luna is magnetic, with eyes full of fire and sadness. She tells Brian, “A real cocktail should taste like your best memory and your deepest regret.”

One night, under moonlight, she sings while JCJ and Brian invent The Ocean’s Truth—a drink made with fig brandy, salt from the sea, and a single frozen grape dropped in at the end.

It becomes a hit with the locals. People begin to line up for miles.

Act III: The Challenge
A rival mixology cartel from Monaco arrives—slick, soulless, sponsored by billionaires. They open a flashy bar, mocking JCJ’s “old-world nonsense.”

They challenge them to a public showdown:
“Cocktail Championship: East vs West. Machine vs Soul.”

The finale is broadcast live on Instagram, Twitch, and drone feeds over the beach.

The judges? Locals, artists, monks, poets, and the sea herself.

Brian, JCJ, and Luna team up. They mix three drinks that blend history, pain, love, and liberation. Their final drink—“Sunset Rebellion”—is infused with tears of laughter and a splash of olive oil blessed by a Croatian nun.

Climax: The Pour Heard Around the World
As the final drink is poured, the crowd is silent.

A child tastes it.

She smiles.
And says: “It feels like my grandma’s hug.”

Victory.

Final Scene: Somewhere Between Split and Lisbon
Brian, Jordan, JCJ, and Luna open a new bar together on a hidden beach. No signs. No social media. Just word-of-mouth and ocean wind.

Each night, they serve drinks that tell stories.

Each sip is a passport, a poem, a kiss.

And as the sun sets over the European horizon, Brian Flanagan finally understands:
Cocktails aren’t about ego. They’re about connection.

Tagline:
Some drinks are just alcohol. Others are epiphanies.
COCKTAIL: EUROPEAN SUNSET
🍸✨🏖️

Based (loosely) on Robyn M. Feller’s “The Complete Bartender”
Scored by Nelly Furtado. Cinematography by Roger Deakins. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.