Red Rock West (1993)

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Director: John Dahl

Writers: John Dahl & Rick Dahl

Stars: Nicolas Cage, Lara Flynn Boyle, Dennis Hopper, J.T. Walsh, Craig Reay, Vance Johnson



A penniless drifter (Nicolas Cage) becomes trapped in the machinations of greedy, ruthless people when he is mistaken for "Lyle from Dallas," a hired killer. 



He thinks he can take the advance money for a murder, warn the victim (Lara Flynn Boyle), and run, but obviously, it doesn't work out as smoothly as that. 




Director John Dahl co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Rick Dahl, and the two men clearly have a great love for and deep understanding of the genre of film noir.

 


This clever, involving film about people who are in over their heads depends a bit too much on coincidence at a few crucial junctures, but it remains a very entertaining film.

 


Dennis Hopper plays a more restrained version of the psycho he patented in "Blue Velvet," and the great character actor J.T. Walsh delivers a memorable performance.















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