The film opens on shot of a long, empty stretch of highway, rising and falling ever so gently towards the horizon; then a shot of a car motionless on the berm. The door opens and Michael slowly slides from the front seat where he had been sleeping. Only just awake, he puts a brace on his bum leg, walks around to the trunk where he takes out a pair of jeans. In jeans and a t-shirt, he does a few push-ups, puts on a clean shirt, combs his hair and practices a few "hi, how-are -you's." Michael, played by Nicolas Cage, is an unemployed ex-marine who's just driven from Texas to Wyoming with the promise of a job on a drilling crew. But he's too honest to hide his leg from the crew boss and is turned away. And after having spent his last $5 on gas, Michael wanders into Red Rock, Pop. 874, enters a bar and asks for a cup of coffee. The owner, Wayne, seeing his Texas plates, mistakes him for someone he's hired long-distance to come kill his wife Suzanne. In a series of misunderstandings, Michael leaves the bar with $5000 in cash and only a half-knowledge of what he's going to do next. He finally decides to visit and warn the wife, who, in turn, offers him $10,000 to murder her husband. Michael takes the money but with the sole intention of running. Unfortunately, Michael finds that as hard and fast as he runs, he is forever returning--whether wittingly or unwittingly--to Red Rock. He has fallen into a kind of maze whose every turn serves only to reveal the deceiving promise of the previous turn. But that is the very engine for both the riveting intrigue and the eerie dark comedy that accompanies this fundamentally decent, world-weary soul whose honesty and benefit-of-the-doubt-granting credulity lead him through a succession of plot twists too numerous, unexpected and original to bear comparison with any contemporary wannabe.

I won't tell you what happens next; it would be cinemaphile sacrilege to reveal the tricks behind the narrative magic that would otherwise have held you spellbound. For something thoughtful, funny, frightening and joyfully unpredictable, why not considerRed Rock West, directed by John Dahl. Starring Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, Lara Flynn Boyle, J. T. Walsh and Dwight Yoakam in his debut film role

This is a very good film with very sparse haunting music. The story has many twists and turns and keeps you guessing. I would recommend this film. The only problem with a film like this is that once you know the twists and turns, it kind of takes the bang out of it for you as a viewer.
The film is good and I don't see how anyone would not like this film. Rent it....buy it....and see it at least once. Good Film Noir. Very much worth seeing...even only to see Dennis Hopper who is supurb as the ex-marine/buddy of Cage/ then enemy and killer. Good film.........................

John Dahl's "Red Rock West" has so many twists and turns in its plot that to reveal them all would do the film injustice. Michael (Nicholas Cage) arrives in Wyoming with a promised job that doesn't pan out. Without money and low on gas, he heads into the town of Red Rock West. When Michael walks into a bar and is asked by the owner Wayne (the oily and late great J. T. Walsh)if he's there about the job, Michael does what anyone would do--he says yes. What he doesn't realize is that Wayne has mistaken him for a hitman he's hired sight unseen to kill his wife Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle). Michael takes the $10,000, a key and heads up to Wayne's house. We're not really sure of his intentions all we do know is that he seemed like such a nice guy. When the real hit man Lyle (Dennis Hopper)shows up, things become more complicated as Michael has his money and Wayne's wife.

A clever, well written and directed film noir thriller from John Dahl ("The Last Seduction", "Joy Ride"), "Red Rock West" became a cult classic on video when it was first released. The film also has enough quirks to remind me of the same qualities that made the Cohen Brothers' "Blood Simple" and David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" memorable as well. This film isn't like those films but has a distinctive personality and visits the same genre with typically comic/dramatic results.

Although I didn't totally buy Cage as Michael, he does work his way into the role and does a convincing job. The supporting cast gives a terrific performance particularly J. T. Walsh, the underrated Timothy Carhart as his deputy and Lara Flynn Boyle. Dennis Hopper does a variation on "Frank" from Blue Velvet although his turn as Lyle is equally memorable I'm surprised he didn't spring for the role he was originally cast for that of Wayne (which Walsh plays to perfection).

The image quality on the DVD is exceptionally good and the extras consist of a running commentary from both Director Dahl and his brother co-producer/co-writer Rick. It's full of fascinating tibits about the difficulty in shooting a film like this on location. It's a pity there's no commentary from Cage, Hopper or Boyle. We also get the theatrical trailer although, curiously, there's no featurette on the making of this terrific cult classic. I would love to see this reissued with a featurette on Walsh and with deleted/alternate scenes. A great little modern noir masterpiece that's well worth renting or buying, "Red Rock West" stands as one of Dahl's best films.

If you're a Nicolas Cage fan, as I am,this is a typical violent action piece for you. Cage's character has a conscience and he has trouble doing his appointed job properly. Hopper is in his prime as ruthless killer, where Lara Flynn Boyle is in a different role for her, but holds her own in strong male cast.
The movie cruises along with the showdown being predictable but quite enjoyable. Not a favourite of mine, but good enough.

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.

The DVD transfer is clean and clear.