Since its release in 1989, Road House has been reevaluated as a cult classic, but some of its flaws are too hard to ignore. Road House is a masterpiece in the art of “good bad movies”. It may not be the most exquisite example of filmmaking, but it knows what its audience wants, and it isn’t shy about giving it to them. Fans of Road House can enjoy it multiple times over, thanks to its hard-hitting action and simple plot. Road House ends on a collective triumph, so it’s also a feel-good movie about a community coming together to make their own justice.
However, despite Road House‘s peculiar niche, there are some uncomfortable truths which become apparent when rewatching it after 35 years. The new remake, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Dalton, highlights some of the shortcomings of the original. Whether fans prefer the original or the remake is a matter of opinion, but there is no denying that the newer version is more polished and more complex. The original Road House, with Patrick Swayze instead of Gyllenhaal, has remained just as popular, despite some questionable elements.
8
Road House Drags On For Too Long
The back half of Road House drags toward its conclusion
It’s unusual to say that a movie coming in at less than two hours is too long, but this is exactly the case for Road House. While it was never going to win many awards, Road House was comfortable giving its audience a raucous good time. It threatens to outstay its welcome toward the ending, however, and this is one thing a movie without much substance should never do. Road House is at its best when it has a little bit of intrigue, a few laughs, and a lot of bareknuckle action. None of this necessitates a bloated third act.
The problem with Road House‘s slog to the finish line may not be the overall length itself. Instead, the problem is the way the final act is structured. After the climactic showdown between Dalton and Jimmy, Road House keeps things going as Dalton goes after Wesley. Unfortunately, there’s no real jeopardy to this confrontation, as Dalton is so clearly destined to beat Wesley. The Road House remake fixes this ending by having Dalton’s most dangerous fight coming right at the end. The main villain, the remake’s version of Wesley, is dispatched just before this.
7
Jasper, Missouri Looks Nothing Like Missouri
Road House is filled with minor errors
Road House was filmed in California, but the story takes place in Missouri. This doesn’t matter for the most part, but there are a few scenes which don’t even attempt to hide the mountains and the desert. Anyone who has been to rural Missouri will recognize immediately that this is a bit of a blunder. Movies shouldn’t be judged on goofs like this, but Road House makes a habit of silly mistakes such as this. There are fight scenes in which actors clearly anticipate punches being thrown, and more than one occasion when the crew members are visible in shot.
Road House is fairly rough around the edges, but this contributes to its charm in a way. Every factual error and poorly synchronized sound effect only reinforces its legacy as one of the best bad movies ever. Road House trades in cheap thrills, with bone-cracking action and plenty of laughs, so its litany of little mistakes doesn’t change things one way or the other. They may turn some fans away, but those who put too much stock into minute details aren’t necessarily the kind of audience that Road House is aiming for anyway.
6
Dalton’s Legend Makes No Sense
Dalton is a bouncer, but people treat him like a samurai or a cowboy
The plot of Road House seems to mimic the traditions of a Western, or perhaps a samurai movie. Dalton is cast in the role of a wandering gunslinger who brings peace and justice to small, dusty towns before continuing on to his next adventure. The problem with this idea is that Dalton isn’t a cowboy and a roadside bar in the 1980s is not a typical setting for a Clint Eastwood-style narrative. Dalton is a bouncer, so it makes no sense why he is such a legendary figure in Missouri, even though he starts out in New York City.
Road House gives no explanation why Frank would travel to New York from Missouri to try and recruit a bouncer for his bar. The world of Road House is more violent than reality, but it doesn’t give any satisfying explanations for why this is the case. Sam Elliott’s character in Road House is another enigma. He acts as a mentor to Dalton, as if bouncers need wise elders to initiate them into the order. It may be a fool’s errand to ruminate too deeply on the logic of Road House, but the movie asks its audience to accept several bizarre assumptions about the importance of bouncers and the roles they have in society.
5
Tinker’s Redemption Is Too Abrupt
The character quickly turns on his boss
Tinker is a comic relief character in Road House. He’s one of Wesley’s goons, but he’s frequently shown to be a useless enforcer. In Road House‘s climactic shootout, Tinker is incapacitated by a stuffed polar bear which falls on top of him. When he eventually emerges, he sees that Wesley has been shot, and he feigns ignorance in front of the police. The fact that the police have finally decided to make an appearance is another questionable part of Road House, but the more puzzling notion is that Tinker is so quick to turn on Wesley.
He may be incompetent, but there is no suggestion that Tinker is any less committed to Wesley’s cause than any of his other goons. While it could make sense for Tinker to abandon Wesley after his death, Road House tries to sell this as a moment of absolution for Tinker. The fact that he was complicit in Wesley’s thuggery and intimidation is supposed to be conveniently ignored, even though Tinker does nothing else to suggest that he is worthy of redemption. This is the cherry on top of the happy ending, but it lacks any real impact.
4
Dalton’s Signature Throat-Ripping Move Belongs In A Different Movie
Road House’s most memorable moment breaks the entire movie
The most iconic moment in Road House is undoubtedly when Dalton rips Jimmy’s throat out with his bare hands. It makes no sense, and the fact that it doesn’t fit with the logic of the rest of the movie makes it much more surprising. This scene confirms that the outlandish rumor about Dalton is true, not just an urban legend that has been overblown after countless retellings. Before Dalton kills Jimmy, his past is a little more mysterious, which is a big positive. The throat rip shatters any remaining credibility that Road House has, not that it ever professes to be a particularly grounded story.
Despite some of Road House‘s weirder elements, the throat rip scene takes things up to another level. It’s a moment of complete science fiction in a movie that otherwise takes place according to the laws of the universe. Dalton’s finishing move comes straight out of a video game, or perhaps a more fantastical type of martial arts movie. It also fundamentally changes who Dalton is as a character. By giving him what amounts to a superpower, Road House casts a different light on all of his actions up until that point, and it raises questions about the logic that the movie adheres to.
3
Road House Doesn’t Develop Its Female Characters
Road House’s male fantasy rings hollow 35 years later
As the story goes, producer Joel Silver pitched Road House to potential cast members with three words: “boobs and bombs.” This puerile male fantasy colors the entire movie. There are times when it works wonderfully, and there’s something very liberating to the simplistic story line of a humble man who wins over those around him with such simplistic tendencies, but the women of Road House never seem like real people. The Road House remake changes some characters, but it still can’t find a convincing form for some of the story’s women.
Dr. Elizabeth Clay is the most complex female character in Road House, but even her actions and motivations seem questionable. It never quite makes sense why she is so drawn to Dalton. He may be good-looking and mysterious, but Elizabeth has to step over some bodies just to meet him at the rowdy Double Deuce. Another female character who deserves more attention is Denise. A generous reading of her strip tease scene would be that it symbolizes the last act of reckless freedom for a woman who is trapped, but it’s easy to see it as little more than a flimsy excuse to cram some nudity into the movie.
2
The Fight Scenes Have Lost Most Of Their Appeal
Road House’s main draw isn’t what it once was
The original Road House has amassed a cult following primarily for its fight scenes. There’s a simple and unimpeachable joy in seeing Patrick Swayze throw a bunch of lowlife yokels around a bar, while bottles smash against the wall and the band continues to play. However, some of Road House‘s fight scenes have lost some of their shine. The movie’s commitment to doing things practically ensures that a lot of them still hold up, but many lack the impact that they once had, especially the ones that take place in the Double Deuce.
Road House has a very simple approach to its fight scenes. There are no POV shots, dynamic camera moves or other interesting visual choices like the Road House remake’s fight scenes. Mostly, Road House sticks to wide shots with a few quick cuts. The benefit of this choice is that the violence is on full display, but modern action movies have made Road House look rather quaint in retrospect. Most of these fights lack any sort of jeopardy, which makes the visual techniques and the choreography much more important.
1
Dalton Is A One-Dimensional Hero
Dalton’s intriguing backstory doesn’t get explored enough
Patrick Swayze received a lot of criticism for his performance in Road House, but some of this backlash doesn’t understand the nature of his character. Dalton is quiet and reserved, despite his propensity for beating people to a pulp. He is a stoic hero whose facade only slips in the most dire circumstances. Unfortunately, the most interesting parts of his character are barely explored at all. Dalton, like Road House as a whole, is all about roundhouse kicks and the occasional wry remark, and this means that his tragic past stays in the background.
Dalton lives with a certain level of infamy after he killed a man in a fight by ripping his throat out, but Road House never truly digs into his inner thoughts. He repeats the same feat on Jimmy, so his decision to spare Wesley’s life rings hollow. Road House doesn’t examine how Dalton deals with his violent past, nor does it reveal much else about him. His motivations also seem obscure, which muddies his character further. The Road House remake changes Dalton in many ways, making him much more interesting and sympathetic.
