Today’s quick review: Road House. Dalton (Patrick Swayze), one of the best bouncers in the business, faces a new challenge when Frank Tilghman (Kevin Tighe) hires him to clean up his bar. Using a calm attitude, his fists, and a little help from an old friend (Sam Elliott), Dalton gets Frank’s rowdy customers under control. But he soon makes an enemy of Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara), a local tycoon who will stop at nothing to get his way.
Road House is an action movie about a bouncer dragged into an escalating conflict with a corrupt businessman and his thugs. Road House takes a basic premise and develops it into a robust story that delivers action and character development in equal measure. Patrick Swayze stars as Dalton, a laconic drifter who’s slow to anger and hard to beat. Watching him develop a personal grudge against Wesley is one of the highlights of the film.
Road House never does anything too unexpected, but it gets the basics right. Patrick Swayze makes for a convincing Dalton, with a polite demeanor and a strong sense of presence. Kelly Lynch joins him as Elizabeth Clay, a doctor Dalton begins dating. The fights are also entertaining. They lack the flashy, over-the-top stunts of other action movies, but they capture the feel of barroom brawling while working in tighter choreography.
Road House is a solid pick for fans of the action genre. A strong lead, weighty fights, and a story that hits just the beats it needs to make Road House one of the better films of its type. However, the film’s limited scope and lack of real twists mean that it will only resonate with action fans.
For a less robust take on a similar premise, try Walking Tall. For another action movie about a quiet man pushed to violence, try Drive or First Blood. For the Jackie Chan equivalent, try Rumble in the Bronx. For a budget take on a similar premise, try Black Road or Savage Dog.
6.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for a solid take on the action genre.