Some films become legends. These are films that go beyond their titles, their directors, their cast and are so intrinsically linked in the public mindset that everyone knows about them - even if they've never seen them personally. Films like "The Godfather", "Star Wars", or "Jaws", are this sort of legendary film. Everyone knows what these movies are, can probably retell the entire plot, and can quite possibly quote these movies even if they've never taken the time to see them. Then you get movies like Rowdy Herrington's 1989 magnum opus "Road House" starring the late great Patrick Swayze. Like "Invasion U.S.A." before it, "Road House" should be considered almost legendary, a movie people are well aware of, but nowhere near enough people have actually seen to appreciate the mad genius behind the film.
Swayze stars as iconic cinematic bad-ass James Dalton, a professional bouncer who leaves the New York City skyline for the dirt roads of Jasper, Missouri, where he takes a position as a cooler for the legendary redneck bar Double Deuce. You see, the bar's owner wants to toss out the riff-raff so he can attract a more clean-cut clientele, and it's up to Dalton to set things straight. He starts by cleaning house, firing hot-headed bouncers, drug-dealing waitresses, and the joint's thieving bartender, who just so happens to be the nephew of local crime lord Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara). Dalton's presence soon ruffles more than a few feathers, forcing the brawny lad to contend with an army of hired goons, hayseed henchmen, and a sexy doctor (Kelly Lynch) whose history with the head gangster may send our hero to an early grave. With the help of a salty old friend (Sam Elliott), Dalton will take matters into his own capable hands, matching these brainless thugs blow for blow until he's wiped the town clean of corruption.
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