Red Rock West (1993)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

John Dahl

Writers (WGA):

John Dahl (written by) &
Rick Dahl (written by)

Release Date:

16 June 1993 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

...All Roads Lead To Intrigue.

Plot:

When a promised job for Texan Michael fails to materialise in Wyoming, Mike is mistaken by Wayne to be the hitman he hired to kill his unfaithful wife...

Plot Keywords:

Hitman | Texan | Money | Wyoming | Ex Marine

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Nicolas Cage	...	Michael Williams
Craig Reay	...	Jim
Vance Johnson	...	Mr. Johnson
Robert Apel	...	Howard
Bobby Joe McFadden	...	Old Man
J.T. Walsh	...	Wayne Brown / Kevin McCord
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Suzanne Brown / Ann McCord
Dale Gibson	...	Kurt, Suzanne's Boyfriend
Ted Parks	...	Chevron Cashier
Babs Bram	...	Hospital Receptionist
Robert Guajardo	...	Doctor
Sarah Sullivan	...	Nurse
Timothy Carhart	...	Deputy Matt Greytack
Dan Shor	...	Deputy Russ Bowman
Dennis Hopper	...	Lyle from Dallas

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Canada:14A | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Montana, USA

Company:

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

Originally director John Dahl wanted Dennis Hopper to play Wayne Brown, but he insisted on playing Lyle from Dallas. Hopper eventually convinced the producers who were thrilled with the end result.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The train is Southern Pacific, correct for the shooting locale, Arizona, but not possible for the story's setting in Wyoming where it would be Union Pacific.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Michael Williams: Adios, Red Rock.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Breakdown (1997/I)

Soundtrack:

CRIME OF THE CENTURY

Pleasantly Murderous

A basically decent drifter (Nicolas Cage) lands in the tiny town of Red Rock, Wyoming, looking for work. When he stops in the bar, the bar owner (J. T. Walsh) asks why he took so long and asks him to step in the back office so they can discuss the job. Cage plays along, then discovers the work is to kill the bar owner's wife. He takes the money, drives out to the ranch to warn the wife (Laura Flynn Boyle), and starts to leave town. Problems arise and he returns to town in time to witness the real hit man (Dennis Hopper) arrive. Things go downhill for the Cage character after that.

This is an excellent, convoluted, well-acted and offbeat mystery. Funny, too. Cage never knows what's happening, but everybody else assumes he does. Dennis Hopper again plays a charming semi-psycho but he hadn't patented the style yet so it seems fresh. J. T. Walsh was a great character actor who died young. He's outstanding as the bar owner...who also happens to be the sheriff. He has one or two other secrets as well. And if Boyle doesn't rev your engine, you may need a tune up. She's more ruthless than the lot of them.