Road House

You know how some movies just scream the decade they were made in? Sometimes it's benign (fashion, how much things cost), other times not so much (social attitudes) but hey, movies are time capsules, after all. The times, they are a-changin'.

And no observation can be better applied to Rowdy Herrington's Road House. Boasting nearly every element found in mid-budget late '80s movies, it has gratuitousness seeping out of every frame. And weirdly, it sort of works. (Hey, one man's trash is another man's treasure.)

The story itself is thin -- a bouncer (Patrick Swayze) tries to save a small town from a corrupt crime lord's (Ben Gazzara) control -- but even then Road House has a certain charm to it (having a post-Dirty Dancing Swayze as the lead helps). It may not be awards material but boy, the actors (especially Gazzara) are giving it their all.

And for what would be an otherwise forgettable picture, Road House didn't need to go the extra mile with the technical aspects. You've got Dean Cundey shooting it like he's gunning for an Oscar (not long after being nominated for Who Framed Roger Rabbit) and Michael Kamen ripping off his score for Die Hard. Sometimes those are what make a movie from not stinking completely.

Road House is the epitome of bloated '80s picture but man, does it know how to fill in the minutes. It's exactly the kind of movie one watches to distract themself from everyday life (which as of late is a necessity). All in all, it's worth a look.

My Rating: ****