Lady L

Road House is a 1989 American action film directed by Rowdy Herrington. Written by David Lee Henry and Hilary Henkin, it stars Patrick Swayze, Ben Gazzara, Kelly Lynch and Sam Elliott. The film follows professional bouncer James Dalton (Swayze), who is hired to clean up a violent roadside bar in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, where he becomes embroiled in a conflict with a ruthless local businessman and crime lord. Road House was filmed primarily in California in 1988, primarily in Newhall, Valencia, and Canyon Country. Swayze performed many of his own stunts. The film's soundtrack featured performances by Jeff Healey and his band, with an original score composed by Michael Kamen. Released by United Artists on May 19, 1989, Road House grossed $61.6 million worldwide against a $15 million budget. Critical reception was generally negative, with reviewers criticizing its violent content, although audience polling was more favorable. It was nominated for five Golden Raspberry Awards, with award founder John Wilson later naming Road House as one of the 100 most enjoyably bad movies ever made. In the years following its release, Road House developed a cult reputation and became one of Swayze's most recognizable films. Its enduring popularity led to the creation of the Road House franchise, which includes an off-Broadway stage adaptation, the direct-to-video sequel Road House 2 (2006), and the remake Road House (2024).