Synopsis
When a promised job for Texan Michael fails to materialize in Wyoming, Mike is mistaken by Wayne to be the hitman he hired to kill his unfaithful wife, Suzanne. Mike takes full advantage of the situation, collects the money, and runs. During his getaway, things go wrong, and soon get worse when he runs into the real hitman, Lyle.
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Cast
- Nicolas CageMichael Williams
- Dennis HopperLyle from Dallas
- Lara Flynn BoyleSuzanne Brown
- J.T. WalshWayne Brown
- Timothy CarhartDeputy Matt Greytack
- Dan ShorDeputy Russ Bowman
- Dwight YoakamTruck Driver
- Craig ReayJim
- Vance JohnsonMr. Johnson
- Robert ApelHoward
Recommendations
- 90
Los Angeles Times
Cage's naturalness as a nice guy in a big jam lends the film considerable substance while Hopper's wily foil, Boyle's tough dame and Walsh's minor-league baddie provide much amusement. With Mark Reshovsky's sleek camera work, authentic locales and William Olvis' mood-setting score, Red Rock West has style to burn. - 90
Time Out
Well-played, highly entertaining and playfully ingenious thriller. - 90
Washington Post
The acting is solid throughout, from Cage's subdued but fuming Michael and Hopper's familiarly psychotic Lyle, to Walsh's weaselly Wayne and Boyle's fatal femme. It is a treasure waiting to be discovered. - 88
Chicago Sun-Times
Red Rock West is a diabolical movie that exists sneakily between a western and a thriller, between a film noir and a black comedy. - 83
The A.V. Club
Notwithstanding its cop-out upbeat ending, Red Rock West solidified the expert neo-noir credentials of John Dahl (The Last Seduction). A taut, nasty bit of crime-genre business, Dahl’s tale (co-written with brother Rick) is in most respects archetypal. - 80
Variety
A wry thriller with a keen edge, Red Rock West is a sprightly, likable noirish yarn. Centered on a case of mistaken identity, the internecine plot becomes progressively more complex without losing its sense of fun. - 80
The New York Times
The director and co-writer, John Dahl, keeps up perfect swift timing throughout the film, playfully loading on every suspense-genre trick he can imagine. - 75
ReelViews
Red Rock West is a roller-coaster ride of a film, designed for those who like their thrillers spiced with the unexpected.
