Red Rock West

1993
R
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

26K

YOUR RATING

Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, and Lara Flynn Boyle in Red Rock West (1993)

Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar

Play trailer1:38

1 Video

99+ Photos

Dark Comedy Crime Drama Thriller

Upon arriving to a small town, a drifter is mistaken for a hitman, but when the real hitman arrives, complications ensue.Upon arriving to a small town, a drifter is mistaken for a hitman, but when the real hitman arrives, complications ensue.Upon arriving to a small town, a drifter is mistaken for a hitman, but when the real hitman arrives, complications ensue.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

26K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 1:38

Red Rock West

Photos102

+ 96

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Storyline

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Did you know

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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 result.

Goofs
When Lyle and Michael are discussing both being in the Marine Corps; Lyle refers to Michael as "soldier" and at the end of the same conversation Micheal calls Lyle, "soldier." It is unlikely that either marine would refer to another Marine as "soldier," but would call him or her "marine", "jarhead", "leatherneck" "devil dog" or even "gyrene" instead.

Quotes
Lyle: [Hitman Lyle from Dallas finds Michael laying down in the middle of the road] What the fuck are you doing?
Michael Williams: My car broke down.
Lyle: Where? I don't see a car.
Michael Williams: It's just over that ridge.
Lyle: 'Just over that ridge', huh? Well you're one lucky son of a bitch, aren't you? If I hadn't had my brakes just done, I'd be picking your brains out of my radiator. Fuck.
Michael Williams: Look, I hate to ask you this, but do you think you could give me a ride?
Lyle: I don't know. You're not dangerous, are you?

Crazy credits
Special Thanks: Mom & Dad

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Jimmy Hollywood/Thumbelina/The House of the Spirits/Major League II/D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994)

Soundtracks
Alone in San Antone
Written by Buddy Cannon & Luke Reed
Performed by Jeff Chance
Courtesy of Mercury Records Nashville

User reviews114

Review

Featured review

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.