Red Rock West

This review is my entry in Darren Lucas’ Opinion Battles Year 3 Round 1.

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Nicolas Cage is at his best in this film. He portrays the happy-go-lucky good old boy faced with a chance to do the wrong thing. Dennis Hopper stars in this as the trly bad man who lies. cheats, and steals. Cage learns that if he makes bad moral choices, a hailstorm of consequences rains down on him. Still, in his typical cage fashion, he struggles to stay true to himself.

There is some ironic humor here but mostly you see a guy down on his luck and out of gas accidentally stumbling into mishaps. They may seem small at first but very soon they become life and death events. You find yourself asking, “What would I do if that money were in my face?” and other everyman questions like this. In the final analysis, Cage is the everyman of acting. We like the films when we can see ourselves as him. He is nothing if not a character to identify with.

Another film where he is at his best is The Family Man but I choose this one because it is not very well known and is certainly a diamond in the rough. I hope you’ll vote for my choice in Opinion Battles.

Here’s the trailer for Red Rock West.

Author: Damien Riley

Damien Riley is a singer-songwriter from the High Desert of Southern California, known for his original music, books, a blog, and the podcast "Riley on Film". He is currently seeking West Coast venues for live concerts and stand-up routines. View all posts by Damien Riley