Red Rock West

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Red Rock West

R

Released Jun 16, 1993

1h 38m

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

114 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

When unemployed ex-marine Michael Williams (Nicolas Cage) stumbles into a bar in Red Rock, Wyo., the owner, Wayne (J.T. Walsh), mistakes him for a hired killer and offers him $10,000 to kill his wife, Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle). Michael plays along, taking half the money up front, then tells Suzanne what her husband is planning. She seduces Michael and proposes that he kill her husband instead. While he weighs his options, the real killer (Dennis Hopper) turns up looking for his money.

Critics Consensus

Red Rock West is a hidden neo-noir gem with some delightful cracks in its surface -- and an opportunity to see Lara Flynn Boyle, Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, and J.T. Walsh go toe-to-toe in all their early '90s glory.

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Julie Lang

Village Voice

The film itself wallows seductively in the twisted, consumptive murk of America's small towns.

Jul 16, 2025

Full Review

Larry Worth

New York Post

John Dahl's best trick is adeptly blending suspense and comedy, all keyed to split-second timing.

Jul 16, 2025

Full Review

Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

What a pleasure to see a kiss-bang thriller in which both forms of consummation are dealt out slowly, teasingly, appetisingly, rather than force-fed to us from frame one.

Jul 16, 2025

Full Review

Peter Keough

Boston Phoenix

Red Rock West doesn't break any new ground, but it is a supremely confident, blackly comic, oddly humane addition to the noir genre.

Jul 16, 2025

Full Review

Daniel Mangin

Bay Area Reporter

Like the best of film noir, Red Rock West has a convoluted, suspenseful plot, a crackling sense of humor, and stylish visuals.

Jul 16, 2025

Full Review

Dan Webster

Spokesman-Review (Washington)

It's dark, moody and twisted.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 16, 2025

Full Review

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Glen H

One of the best modern neo-noirs. Dahl is simply a master of the genre. From the outcast hero who finds himself in a tough strange situation out of desperation to the femme fatale who is also desperate to escape her own strange situation. It's just an excellent film and the cast is impeccable, including Cage in a subdued believable role.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/29/25

Full Review

Daniel C. M

A escapist neo-noir with great direction, though not really much else.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

Full Review

Richard G. R

One of my favorite low budget independent films. When it was released on video and cable in 1993, I was attending the University of North Texas studying filmmaking, and this film along with Carl Franklin and Billy Bob Thornton's "One False Move" in 1992 became prime examples of the type of films (Neo-Noir) that spoke to me. Nicolas Cage gives a great performance as Michael, the down and out drifter mistaken for a hitman (forgoing his usual over the top acting style). Director John Dahl carved out a nice niche in the low budget neo-noir genre with his three films (Kiss Me Again-1989, Red Rock West-1993 and The Last Seduction-1994).

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/19/25

Full Review

Ari V

Decent little movie that might've in part inspired Stone's better Uturn.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/03/25

Full Review

Brad CKA L

https://youtu.be/9YGF_B7YgDY?si=FUwB2Ml1nvP8iywl

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/27/24

Full Review

Dom L

Great little neo noir. One of Cage's best earlier performances, but Hopper steals the acting honors!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/06/24

Full Review

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John Dahl

Director

Nicolas Cage

Michael Williams

Dennis Hopper

Lyle from Dallas

Lara Flynn Boyle

Suzanne Brown aka Ann McCord

Timothy Carhart

Deputy Matt Greytack

J.T. Walsh

Wayne Brown aka Kevin McCord

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Synopsis

When unemployed ex-marine Michael Williams (Nicolas Cage) stumbles into a bar in Red Rock, Wyo., the owner, Wayne (J.T. Walsh), mistakes him for a hired killer and offers him $10,000 to kill his wife, Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle). Michael plays along, taking half the money up front, then tells Suzanne what her husband is planning. She seduces Michael and proposes that he kill her husband instead. While he weighs his options, the real killer (Dennis Hopper) turns up looking for his money.

Director: John Dahl
Producer: Steve Golin, Sigurjon Sighvatsson
Screenwriter: Rick Dahl, John Dahl
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Video, Capital Filmes
Production Co: Red Rock Films, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 16, 1993, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 27, 2015
Runtime: 1h 38m
Sound Mix: Surround