"Road House" tells the story of Dalton, a "cooler" who is hired by the owner of a small town dive bar in Jasper, MO. Dalton is hired to clean up the bar, as it has devolved into a very dangerous establishment. This place is so dangerous and rowdy that the house band plays behind a cage and the wait staff regularly engages in brawls with the patrons. This story used one of the common Western film tropes-- a new Sheriff is hired and brought in to clean up the town. That is essentially Dalton's role in this film. He's kind of the Gordon Ramsey of the bar scene. He's brought in to clean things up and kick out the riff raff. And boy is there a lot of riff raff to clean up.
The conflict in "Road House" is that there is a gang, led by Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara) whose entire MO it seems is to intimidate the local business people into giving them money and favors in exchange for not being beat up or having their businesses destroyed - an old fashioned protection racket if you follow the 1930s B films. Most of the town (including law enforcement!) is scared of Wesley and his gang and the group pretty much has full run of everything--including the bar where Dalton is hired. Wesley and his gang begin to resent Dalton's presence, because he isn't a pushover and isn't letting them have control.
Much of the action of the film involves Dalton fighting Wesley and his gang of ruffians. Wade Garrett (Sam Elliott), Dalton's friend and mentor, who also works as a cooler at another club/bar, arrives in town to help out his friend. Together, Wade and Dalton try to take on Wesley. And of course, because this is Patrick Swayze, there is a love story intertwined, when he hooks up with his ER surgeon (Kelly Lynch).
The bar scenes are crazy. A lot of nudity, fighting, violence, everything. The opening scene melee resembles the wild saloon fight in "Dodge City" or "Blazing Saddles." Jeff Healy plays the lead singer/guitarist of the house band, and they're fantastic. I especially loved their cover of The Doors' "Roadhouse Blues."
Anyway. If you're adverse to movies with violence (including a particularly spectacular Rambo-esque turn for Swayze near the end of the film), nudity, and language, then this film isn't for you. But, if you're interested in a ridiculous trashy movie, with great music, then this is worth a watch.
