Review of Road House (1989) by Big Red J — 05 Dec 2008

A totally engrossing, classic tale of good vs. evil. Patrick Swayze plays the charming "Dalton", a 'cooler' (head bouncer) enlisted to clean up a troubled midwest road house bar, the "Double Deuce".

The movie features veteran actor Ben Gazzara's best work as local businessman and town bully "Brad Wesley", played so convincingly it's hard to separate Ben from Brad. I have to keep reminding myself Gazzara is only acting and is not actually the vile Wesley.

The house band is in fact the Jeff Healey Band, who perform several live numbers, and guitar great Healey makes his acting debut as "Cody", an old friend of Dalton. Healey's untimely death in 2008 make his performance here even more engaging.

Sam Elliott plays "Wade Garrett", Dalton's fatherly best friend and fellow cooler. Beautiful Kelly Lynch plays "Dr. Elizabeth Clay", Dalton's local love interest. Other noteworthy performances include Kevin Tighe as road house entrepreneur "Frank Tilghman"; Marshall Teague ("Jimmy"), Wesley's top enforcer and tough guy; former professional wrestling World Champion Terry Funk ("Morgan"), a bouncer fired by Dalton; musician and actor John Doe (former frontman of the new wave band "X"), who plays bartender "Pat McGurn", fired by Dalton and who happens to be Wesley's nephew; and Julie Michaels ("Denise"), another Wesley associate, who's attracted to Dalton.

Jon Paul Jones, Sunshine Parker and Red West play likable local businessmen terrorized by Wesley. An excellent cast with an excellent soundtrack in an excellent movie you'll watch over and over again.

It grows on you!