Red Rock West (1993)

By Jody. Score 5/10

Despite general critical acclaim and a good reception at the Toronto Film festival, director John Dahl's modern film noir about mistaken identity (Nicholas Cage is mistaken for a hitman in small town Texas) generates much more laughter than suspense. Is the script bad or merely a victim of Cage's typical bizarre line delivery? It's hard to say really.

Case in point:

Lara Flynn Boyle to Cage: "Ever been to Mexico?" Cage simply replies, "Yeah". LFB responds: "What's it like?" Cage with a dramatic pause: "It's hot..."

As the film's flip-flopping victim/seductress, Ms. Flynn Boyle is generally unlikable and unsexy in both modes.

LFB to Cage: "Don't you like me?" Cage replies, "Yeah, but I make it a point to stay away from married women." "Marriage is just a state of mind." Cage looks off into the distance: "Not in Texas...."
  

The film's plot tries to twist and turn, but stays predictable and silly. Cage tries to ride out of town on top of a semi truck. Dennis Hopper, also not at his best in his role as the real hitman, gets taken down with a thrown shoe, Austin Powers style.

Overall, I must admit that I was entertained and engaged enough to keep watching, but don't we all love to watch a train wreck?

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Lara Flynn Boyle, J.T. Walsh, and Dennis Hopper
Directed by: John Dahl
Budget/Gross: $8 mil / $2.5 mil
IMDB Score: 7.0/10
Tomatometer: 95% critics and 65% audiences liked it