Micransix Crappy film

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Ginger Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

RockyMtnVideo Nicholas Cage has been in quite a few throw-away films, but this is not one of them. The Dahl brothers crafted a taught, "twisted" tale, wherein Cage's character just can't seem to catch a break, as he continues to slide deeper and deeper into crap, while seemingly trying to "do the right thing". As is the case for most great noir, nothing is ever quite what it seems.It's not really possible to delve into the details, without spoiling the fun, so be necessity, this review is brief. The script is great, and there really aren't any wasted moments. You just need to know that the entire cast is great, and Dennis Hopper, in particular, has one of the greatest scenes ever.If you get the chance to catch this somewhere, it's well worth the time investment. It really is a classic.

morrison-dylan-fan Taking a look at a poll that was held on the IMDb Classic Film board for the best movies of 1993,I found myself getting constantly drawn towards a Neo-Noir called Red Rock West,due to having heard a large amount of praise for the title over the year.Sadly,with the price of the DVD being pretty expensive,I regrettably decided to push any plans to take a look at this tantalising Neo-Noir to the side.2 weeks later:Being happily caught completely by surprise,I recently received an offer from a very kind IMDb'er ,who asked if I would be interested in borrowing the DVD of the film,which led to me excitingly getting ready to pay a long over due visit to Red Rock West.The plot:Angered over getting turned down for a construction job due to having an injury which he picked up in the Vietnam war,Michael Williams drives towards a small town called Red Rock West,after getting advised by a gas station worker to pay a visit to a bar in the town called Wayne's Place,where there is a good chance that Williams will be able to pick up a bar staff job.Finding Wayne Brown at the front of the bar,Michael decides to not reveal his full background details to Brown,when Wayne asks Williams if he is "The Lyle who has come here for a job?".Pretending to be Lyle,Williams expectations of being given a bar job by Brown are left in ruins,when Wayne reveals to him that "Lyle" has not been hired to work at the bar,but has in fact been chosen by Brown to be a hit-man for his wife.View on the film:Placing the dark heart of this Neo-Noir in a full to the brim whisky bottle,co-writer/ (along with his brother Rick) director John Dahl and cinematography Marc Reshovsky soak the film in a warm Neo-Noir Western atmosphere,with Dahl and Reshovsky shooting the movie in brilliant sun setting colours,which along with allowing every member of the cast face's to have a world weary quality about them,also allows Reschovsky and Dahl to show the dark secrets that all the residence of Red Rock West are desperately trying to keep out of the light.Continuing with the underlying Western theme in the excellent screenplay,John and Rick Dahl show the Wyoming town of Red Rock West to be a fading sun-lit Neo-Noir world,where everyone knows each others secrets and deals on how the town is run are made by secret drinks,and beer stained back-hander's,which is seriously threatened of being buckled,by the arrival of two "outlaws" from Texas,one being an unlucky soul who is at the wrong place,at the very worst time,and the other one being a black-clad wearing gunslinger,who wants to take the power of the town all for himself.Being given the chance to sizzle on the screen as this Neo-Noir's sole Femme Fatale,I was disappointed to find Lara Flynn Boyle give a rather frozen performance as Suzanne Brown,with Boyle failing to blend into John Dahl wonderful shadowy world,and also being unable to give the dialogue the fizzle that it richly deserves.Whilst Boyle sadly fails from setting the fuse off,the rest of the cast thankfully attack the movie with a burning hot,ten ton hammer,with J.T. Walsh giving an tremendous performance as Wayne Brown,thanks to Walsh showing Brown to go gradually more desperate for the killing of his wife to take place,and Walsh also taking full advantage of Dahl's stylish directing,by using the close ups to reveal the darkened lies and dirty deals that lay behind the scar's on Wayne's face.Entering this Neo-Noir like a fire breathing dragon,Dennis Hooper gives a fiery performance as the "real" Lyle,with Hooper showing Lyle's initially well meaning first appearance to be quickly slashed away and replaced by an outlaw whose only language is increasing the dirty money that is placed in his hands.Kept right at the centre for the whole of the film,Nicolas Cage gives an extremely strong performance,which carefully balances Michael Williams being a down to earth.down on his luck guy,with an increasing,potential deadly desire to get hold of the cash and the woman that are both just out of William's reach,which leads to Red Rock West being a gravel road that is defiantly worth travelling down.

Spikeopath Red Rock West is directed by John Dahl who also co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Rick. It stars Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, Lara Flynn Boyle, J. T. Walsh and Timothy Carhart. Music is by William Olvis and cinematography by Marc Reshovsky. When a promised job in Wyoming fails to materialise on account of an injury sustained in combat, Michael Williams (Cage) drifts into the town of Red Rock and is mistaken in a bar for a hit-man hired to kill an unfaithful wife. Tempted by the high cash on offer, Michael plays along and promptly finds himself in a web of intrigue from which escape is looking unlikely… Welcome To Red Rock/You Are Now Leaving Red Rock. The studio didn't know what to do with it, a neo-noir flavoured with contemporary Western spices. Put out on cable in America and thriving on its limited release in Europe, it started to gain a cult fan-base. More so after a theatre in the Frisco Bay area started showing it and it made considerable coinage. Today it still remains more of a cult piece than anything else, which while it deserves more accolades and exposure, is still kind of nice for the fans, because it's like we have our own little neo-noir treasure all to ourselves. Red Rock West is essential for the neo-noir heads and well worthy of inspection by the average modern day crime film fan. Plot wise it's a bit, shall we say iffy? Yet the twists, turns and characterisations are so deftly constructed and performed, it matters not a jot. Cage's ex- marine is an honest and decent guy who whilst down on his luck - punished for his honesty - finds himself in a vortex of mystery and murder that he can't escape from. His companions in this scenario are film noir staples, the femme fatale (Boyle) with a smoulder as big as her secret, the hit-man (Hopper) with a glint in his eye to accompany his callous leanings, and the shifty bar owner (Walsh) trying to off his wife whilst keeping his shady cards close to his chest. As the tricksy plot unfolds in a haze of bad judgements and untruths, further pulsed by the vagaries of fate, it becomes apparent that Dahl wants us to know it isn't taking itself too seriously. There's a glorious scent of dark humour hanging in the air, an unpretentiousness about the whole thing that's refreshing. The look and feel is perfect for the narrative, the colour is stripped back to create a moody atmospheric surround, while the score and sound-tracking immediately brings to mind country and western tales of woe. Dahl knows his noir onions, but this is not just a homage hat tipper to the past, he understands what works in noir, be it the blending of the quirky with the edgy, or scene setting in locales such as a colourless bar and a foggy cemetery, Dahl gets the key ingredients right to deliver the goods wholesale. The small cast come up trumps. Boyle as Suzanne Brown is weak if her femme fatale is pitted against the likes of Matty Walker or Bridget Gregory, but it's an adequate performance that doesn't hinder the picture. She is helped enormously, though, by having to share most scenes with Cage who brings his "A" game. Consistently inconsistent throughout his career, Cage, when on form is a joy to watch, here he gets to thrive as a put upon hero, shifting seamlessly between confusion and boldness, where incredulous looks are the order of the day with a side order of eccentric intensity. Hopper does what he does so well, amusing villainy, while Walsh is effortlessly menacing and suspicious. In small secondary support Carhart and country star Dwight Yoakam leave favourable impressions. This is not an edge of your seat thriller, or a cranium bothering piece of dramedy, it's neo-noir done right. Where morality is grey at best and money is the root of all evil, it's slick, playful, cold blooded and absorbing. Hooray! 9/10

seymourblack-1 This modern film noir with its off beat humour and dizzying succession of plot twists delivers a story full of surprises, dangerous characters and excellent entertainment from start to finish. It's impossible not to empathise with the honest, unassuming hero or to be gripped by the ways in which he tries to navigate his way out of the terrible predicaments that he finds himself in, so all you can do is fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride.The story of an ordinary guy who makes a poor decision and then finds that the repercussions propel him into an uncontrollable sequence of events from which he is unable to extricate himself is pure film noir. The same is true of the themes of murder, deceit, corruption and duplicity which are pervasive throughout. Many of the familiar noir visual motifs are also present, such as the way in which cigarette smoke is lit, the rain soaked roads at night, the heavily shadowed interiors and the lines of shadow (created by louvred doors) across people's faces.Michael Williams (Nicolas Cage), an injured war veteran without money or a job, stops off at a bar in Red Rock, Wyoming and is mistaken by the proprietor Wayne Brown (J T Walsh) for a hit man that he's arranged to employ to murder his wife Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle). Michael, a naturally reticent person, does nothing to disabuse Wayne of his misapprehension, especially as he could use a job and at first doesn't realise what he'd be expected to do. After having been told what his mission is and been given a $5,000 advance, he goes to see Suzanne and warns her about Wayne's plan. She doesn't seem overly concerned about the danger she's in and offers Michael double the fee Wayne had offered, for him to eliminate her husband.Michael decides to take the money he'd received from both parties and leave town. His plan fails however, when he accidentally drives into a man who is standing in the middle of the road and decides to take him to hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. At the hospital, things get more complicated when it emerges that the patient is Suzanne's lover and he has two bullets in his stomach. This leads to the local law enforcement officers getting involved and the revelation that Wayne is the Sheriff!! From this point on, things get even more complicated and also decidedly more dangerous especially when the real hit man, Lyle from Dallas (Dennis Hopper) arrives on the scene."Red Rock West" has some great moments of suspense, (an example of this is the scene in which Michael makes his escape from Wayne's bar) and also some great performances from its very strong cast. Nicolas Cage's expressions are extremely natural and convincing as he reacts to a variety of situations with anxiety, surprise or uncertainty and J T Walsh is also particularly good as a deceptive character who's always concealing more than he's actually saying. Dennis Hopper is intensely threatening as the vicious contract killer (a role he plays with great gusto) and Lara Flynn Boyle looks suitably cold and calculating as the femme fatale. Dwight Yoakam also provides some good support and moments of humour in his cameo role as a no nonsense truck driver.Incredibly, "Red Rock West" was originally destined to be denied a general cinema release but has justifiably emerged from its modest beginnings to eventually be recognised as the great movie that it really is.