Road House

Road House
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Conor McGregor, Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen
Directed by Doug Liman

There's a meme featuring Lisa Simpson of "The Simpsons" standing in front of a screen with the words: "Instead of remaking great movies, they should remake bad movies that were based on good stories but did not meet expectations." I wholeheartedly agree with this statement, as in when they remake the classics it hardly ever turns out as good as the original, while bad movies that have good concepts can only get better - right? Take "Road House," a 1989 film starring Patrick Swayze that wasn't necessarily bad, but not one people remember fondly. In fact, pretty much anyone nowadays who remember it remembers it due to the "Family Guy" spoof when Peter Griffin says, "Road House." It wasn't a bad movie, but one that no one would've imagined getting a remake because it was a cult classic and not a well-known one. Yet that's what happened, and the 2024 "Road House" proved Lisa's meme correct: remaking a bad movie is a great idea, because this remake is something that holds true to its original but also blazes its own path.

Elwood Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a former UFC middleweight fighter who is escaping a past trauma by fighting in the underground circuit. One day roadhouse owner Frankie (Jessica Williams) sees Elwood at a fight and asks him to work for her as a bouncer, because her restaurant is coming under constant attack by a gang of bikers that threaten to close her business. Dalton agrees and quickly dispatches the gang, who work for Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen) who plans to tear down the roadhouse (named Road House) to monopolize the property.  No matter who Brandt sends, Dalton sends them to the hospital where head nurse Ellie (Daniela Melchior) gets more and more upset because he keeps bringing lowlifes to the hospital and busying her doctors. Fed up with Dalton, Brandt finally sends in his wild card: the unhinged Knox (Conor McGregor) who is a force of nature and Dalton's biggest threat. If Dalton can't stop Knox and Brandt's plan, then the Road House will close forever - but it means reaching into his dark past and allowing himself to lose control to save everything he's grown to care for.

This new "Road House" movie leans heavily on MMA style fighting, and the choreography is fast-paced and intense, not surprising coming from director Doug Liman, who also directed Matt Damon in "The Bourne Identity" with its well-known dizzying action. Jake Gyllenhaal went all out in training and actually looks like a former UFC fighter, and the dedication he made to his physical appearance shows in his performance as well, as he plays Elwood Dalton with this swagger that's both hilarious and infectious, like you want him to be your best friend, while also he's so over-the-top it's amazing. One scene in particular - where he stands up to a guy with a gun - is downright laugh-out-loud but also inspiring, giving hope that we don't have to always be a victim: of course it helps if we're chiseled and have extensive MMA training.

Gyllenhaal takes on Swayze's role with gusto, delivering a highly physical performance not seen from the Academy Award-nominated actor since his turn as a boxer in "Southpaw," and he doesn't hold back the punches both literally and metaphorically. His physicality is extraordinary, giving intense fisticuffs to a load of goons and others at breakneck speed, with awesome camera angles that proves Liman learned from his "Bourne Identity" mistakes of making them so dizzying you feel sick. Here its crisp and clean, where you see every blow and feel every impact. Yet more than physical, Gyllenhaal has a charm that's effortless and you can't help but fall in love with the guy. He arrives in town and immediately is beholden by the people and hailed as their savoir, while he shows off a confidence that far exceeds ego but proves his meddle when it comes to fighting. He's a worthy successor to Swayze's legacy.

UFC fighter Conor McGregor makes his feature debut here, and its obvious he's no actor as his lines were delivered as if he was reading off a script, but it doesn't matter because his physicality matches and even exceeds Gyllenhaal's, obviously because he's made a career out of fighting. Still, despite his lack of acting prowess, he chews the scenery as very few can. He swaggers around like a cocky Popeye, and is downright hilarious in his delivery while also being a ticking time bomb that threatens to go off at any second.

The other supporting characters have their roles to play. Daniela Melchior's Ellie serves as Dalton's love interest, although there isn't much chemistry between the two, and her story sort of relies on her character being the generic damsel in distress in most situations. Jessica Williams' Frankie is the owner of the Road House and...that's about it, but she does show some tough fortitude when she stands up to Brandt. Speaking of, Billy Magnussen plays Brandt as your generic 80s action villain kingpin: completely inept, overly confident when he has no reason to be, and someone who hides behind his goons who do his dirty work. 

"Road House" also touches on emotional stories of regret, pain and anguish, as Dalton has nightmares of the event that changed his life forever, as well as wanting to atone for past sins by being the Road House's savior. He does this with almost reckless abandon, nearly giving up his life for people he just met, showing a deep desire for redemption. It's what makes the outlandish action, the 80s style, and everything in-between work: the heart is there, the passion is there, and the desire to make something great is there. While it's not a masterwork, it's something that'll prove that sometimes a remake can be better than the original.

"Road House" is one of those rare remakes that proves sometimes a remake can be done of a film that most people don't remember, and really work thanks to strong performances, great action, and a modernized story that also pays homage to the original.

The Score: A