Road House (2024): Big Brawling

The premiere of Road House, a remake of the 1989 cult classic by director Doug Liman, recently hit the screens at SXSW. Kicking its way onto Prime Video on March 21 with Jake Gyllenhaal‘s Dalton leading the pack, the revamped version has rekindled the high-octane energy of the original while adding a spark of its own (that only occasionally makes you dizzy from the fumes).

In the original, Patrick Swayze‘s Dalton was the epitome of brawny intellect— a philosopher with a penchant for peace who could drop you without a pause. He was good at it, so he knew to use it sparingly. Swayze’s Dalton disarmed with a smile. Gyllenhaal takes this foundation and adds a layer of darker complexity. This newer version—now a former MMA fighter with the first name Elwood—has a more intensified numbness. We see that early on when he impulsively drives his car onto the tracks of an oncoming train. Before that, he walks around with a pocketknife sticking out of his ribs like it’s the keys in his pocket. This economy in the main character’s set-up leaves more room for the story to pop and delivers a greater connection between the characters, who all seem to be nursing wounded souls.

This is something Dalton’s new best friend points out. When he meets the teenaged Charlie (Hannah Love Lanier) she immediately recognizes him as the hero in a western. A loner who arrives to save the town from the nest of baddies holding it back. Although I’d call him a lone samurai or a rōnin, because he isn’t a gunslinger, the analogy holds.

Road House (2024) isn’t just about Dalton, his losses, and his need to stay moving. The trio of Dalton, Ellie (Daniela Melchior), and Frankie (Jessica Williams) are the movie’s anchors. They are all genuinely good people but with a flip side of rage paired with “death to my enemies” attitudes. It leaves us wondering if the three mirroring each other was planned or if the chemistry between them makes them feel more connected. The three hold the story together, creating a narrative that’s as much about human connection as it is about action.

Gyllenhaal’s Dalton feels more dangerous here. He’s forever smiling, but with a volatility that is a counterweight to his kindness. It’s a delicate balance that works well with Gyllenhaal’s natural intensity. He might be grinning, but laughter may lead to his opponent’s tears. Daniela Melchior, on the other hand, brings a gravity to Ellie that keeps the audience rooted. There’s just something about the way she inhabits a character that gives them dimensionality. Jessica Williams, a favorite of mine since the days of 2 Dope Queens, never takes a basic or expected role. Frankie, the owner of the titular roadhouse, is another one you’ll want to get to know because Williams’ roles are seldom the ones you typically meet on screen. She is forever charming, especially here where the stakes are a matter of heritage and loyalty.

Billy Magnussen as Brandt and Lukas Gage as Billy get the play fan favorite archetypes in the lone samurai/lone gunman genre. Magnussen is the maniacal brat, sprinkling his performance with cowardly cruelty and a need for control. Meanwhile, Gage’s Billy brings a layer of earnestness to the table as the ardent student of the master. One who finds his courage through his contribution to the roadhouse and the people he works with. There’s also JD Pardo as a hapless minion, Dell, who I nicknamed Captain Hook (you’ll know it when you see it). This is the guy you enjoy watching get smacked back. Finally, there’s another villainous archetype that adds juice to the genre, the hyper-stylized big bad. In Road House (2024) that’s the electric madness of Conor McGregor as Knox. His ruthlessness is proudly bombastic, and adding a real-life MMA fighter to square off with Gyllenhaal’s fictional one is an excitement boost. After all, a hero can’t be heroic without a tangible threat.

In an interview with Vulture, Gyllenhaal recounted how quickly he said “yes” after Liman mentioned a remake script was in the works. When I spoke to him, I wanted to ask why and if there were any qualms about taking on a cult classic, especially one led by the beloved Patrick Swayze. I’m guessing, and only guessing, that part of Gyllenhaal’s enthusiasm originates from when he starred with Swayze in a cult classic of his own, Donnie Darko. But in that same interview, Gyllenhaal also says “he saw Swayze’s Point Break as a kid (lots, more than any other movie except possibly Dumbo).”