Road House

Road House

1989

Director: Rowdy Herrington

Writer: David Lee Henry and Hilary Henkin

114 Minutes

The best cooler in the business is Wade Garrett (Sam Elliott).

Though Garrett’s apprentice is a man named Dalton (Patrick Swayze), a hero with a dark past and a no-nonsense attitude. A coolers job is to control the bouncers in any bar throughout the United States. They break-up fights, escort troublemakers, and keep the atmosphere safe.

“Nobody ever wins a fight.” – Dalton.

In the film Roadhouse, Dalton is one of the best coolers in the bar business. He is invited to Jasper, Missouri to clean up a bar called the Double-Deuce. In the process, he encounters a man named Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara) who controls the town and the people living in it.

Then Dalton rips someone throat out.

In the scene above, Dalton explains the rules of the bar. After firing several people, he explains, ‘it’s my way or the highway,” which couldn't be said by anyone other than Swayze. The rules are as follows:

Rule#1: Never underestimate your opponent. Expect the unexpected.

Rule#2: Take it outside. Never start anything in the bar unless it’s absolutely necessary

Rule#3: Be nice.

“And what if someone calls my mama a whore?’ one of the bouncers asks.
“Is she?” Dalton replies.

Dalton treats this business as a business. Even though there are personal attacks and people trying to kill him, it’s only business. And that’s what makes this story "good" is that business turns personal when Wade Garrett is killed.

What makes this scene above important is you realize there are rules to an unruly place. And Dalton makes the rules. He knows them and enforces them.

And then he rips someone's throat out.

Dalton is a simple man with simple intentions. And within the film, he meets the sexy Doc (Kelly Lynch) and has some Otis Redding time with her against a fireplace. Like I said, he is a simple man.

"I thought you'd be bigger."

Roadhouse might be one of the great 80’s movies of this generation. It has cheese. It has campy dialog. And it has Patrick Swayze. What more do you need?

To the great Dalton - Rest in Peace, my friend.

Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman

1990

Director: Garry Marshall

Writer: J. F. Lawton

119 Minutes.

When screenwriter J.F. Lawton wanted to write a story about prostitution, he envisioned a dark, gritty tale about the underworld of selling sex.

What he got was Julia Roberts.

Pretty Woman is a story about a rich man seeking affection from a Hollywood prostitute where then he falls in love and they live happily ever after. At least, that’s what we are meant to believe - especially after both parties break the rules and kiss each other on the mouth.

Wrong move, sister.

Though this film is about selling your body, it also is about selling your heart. It’s an emotional, enjoyable film about stepping outside the box to find who you really are.

“In case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight.”

In the scene above, Vivian (Julia Roberts) is being “courted” by Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) and after having strawberries and champagne, Vivian goes to the bathroom to clear her head. When Edward follows, Vivian tries to hide something behind her back.

Thinking it’s drugs, Edward begins to remove her from the apartment, telling her to take the money, and leave. But, Vivian reveals it’s not drugs, but simply dental floss.

“It’s dental floss?”
“I had all those strawberry seeds. And you shouldn’t neglect your gums.”

This piece of innocents and purity enlightens Edward (and the audience) to the real character of Vivian. She’s not a whore, she’s a woman in whore’s clothing. She’s a real person with simple intentions.

And she's lovable.

This scene gets you on board with Vivian. Had she done drugs, done the deed, and left the apartment, not only would we have not liked her, but Edward wouldn’t have invited her to stay the week. (Not to mention, the movie would have been over.) This good hygiene act is the catalyst to Edward’s invitation.

"Rarely I'm surprised," Edward says.

It's because Vivian is a good person. And in Edward’s life, she brings balance. She opens his eyes to what he really wants. And in the end, Edward changes not only his emotional journey, but his professional journey by not buying and selling, but more building.

He’s building at his company and he is building in his relationships.

But, it all comes down to dental floss.

A funny side fact is the Opera Vivian and Edward attend is La Traviata, which is a story about a prostitute who falls in love with a wealthy man.

Great writing, great directing, and a great props help us understand this dark, gritty tale about the underworld of prostitution.

And then there was Julia Roberts.