Road House – Jake Gyllenhaal Takes on Conor McGregor in a Showdown of Stars

“Road House” attempts to capture the essence of a Western but leans more towards a cartoonish feel, though not necessarily to its detriment. Initially boasting a fun B-movie atmosphere, the film loses its charm when it starts taking itself too seriously. While Jake Gyllenhaal delivers an enjoyable performance, the movie’s absurd plot twists, awkward moments, and poorly executed CGI fights overshadow his efforts. It lacks the gritty urgency it needs and instead feels like a casual Saturday morning watch.

In “Road House,” Elwood Dalton (portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal) emerges as a renowned and formidable figure who intimidates troublemakers without resorting to violence. When approached by Frankie (played by Jessica Williams), owner of the struggling Florida roadhouse “Road House,” Dalton agrees to help deal with local disturbances.

The narrative of “Road House” extends beyond the confines of a typical Florida Keys bar, delving into deeper layers of violence beyond drunken brawls. Ben Brandt, a powerful real estate mogul inheriting his father’s criminal legacy, seeks to shut down Frankie’s establishment. Dalton intervenes, engaging in well-choreographed confrontations with Brandt’s associates, demonstrating a surprising level of compassion by ensuring his defeated adversaries receive medical attention.

During a visit to the hospital, Dalton encounters Ellie, a doctor who challenges his motivations for instigating fights that result in ER visits. Despite evolving into Dalton’s love interest, their relationship undergoes a slow development and is abruptly sidelined, with aspects of Ellie’s life transforming into unexpected plot twists. While Dalton’s past trauma explains his reluctance to open up, the chemistry between him and Ellie lacks the genuine passion typically found in ’80s films, leaving their dynamic feeling uncertain.

The tone of “Road House” lacks the tangible intensity it requires. It fails to evoke the sweltering atmosphere of the Florida Keys or the visceral impact of physical confrontations; instead, everything feels manufactured, as if generated in a CGI studio. While brief fight scenes possess urgency, longer ones reveal glaringly obvious CGI effects, resembling cut scenes from video games, particularly evident in a prolonged bar brawl and boat sequence at the climax where the CGI appears noticeably amateurish.

Conor McGregor portrays Knox, injecting vitality into the latter portion of the film as a sociopathic character. McGregor’s performance is both captivating and perplexing; he delivers lines with a broad grin, reminiscent of a fighter at a weigh-in, exuding an exaggerated bravado. His exaggerated demeanor, reminiscent of an aggressive Popeye, seems directed by Liman, although some of his line deliveries come across as awkward. It’s uncertain whether this is intentional or if McGregor struggles with on-screen dialogue.

The juxtaposition between McGregor’s over-the-top portrayal and Gyllenhaal’s more serious depiction reflects the overall disjointedness of the movie. While Gyllenhaal’s character embodies a nearly Zen-like fighter pushed to his limits, McGregor and other characters fully embrace the absurdity. The two contrasting tones fail to harmonize effectively. Unlike ’80s films, which featured grounded heroes and exaggerated villains, this iteration of “Road House” highlights the appreciation for the balanced and CGI-free approach of those earlier movies.