ROAD HOUSE (1989)

After decades of missing (okay, avoiding) this rockem-sockem cult classic about a Zen-loaded bar bouncer in a new town, I broke down last night only to find it featured in today’s NYTimes as the #1 ‘good’ bad film of all time.  (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/movies/road-house-patrick-swayze-good-bad-movie.html) No question about the bad part, it’s the good that’s debatable.  (Surely, the Patrick Swayze ‘good’ bad film is POINT BREAK/’91, no?.*  Perhaps even a great ‘bad’ film.)  On the other hand, RH does meet the good/bad criteria that holds ’were it any better, it wouldn’t work at all.’  Everything is OTT even before Swayze is called to clean up a lawless town; he’s like the new sheriff in this quasi-Western where evil, land-grabbing Ben Gazzara has the power to bend everything his way.  Lots of pointless nudity (so many tushies!) & violence (so much blood!), with most of the action a bit sloppy under director Rowdy Herrington (a well-deserved Razzie nom).  On the other hand, the many car stunts and explosions darn good!  The rest, amateur in execution and lacking chemistry between anyone.  Not necessarily a bad thing here, as it gives the mayhem the weightless quality of a Tex Avery cartoon.

DOUBLE-BILL/LINK:  *Tellingly, both these films were loosely remade to little effect.  Stick with the originals.  https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2016/12/point-break-1991.html

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID:  If you get this film in a physical format, you’ll likely find a little extra where cast & crew look back on the film with a mixture of pride at its ever expanding popularity and embarrassment at its crudity.  That’s about right.