Raves for ‘Road House’

“Road House”--which opened last weekend to an OK $5.9 million in ticket sales--took a sound thrashing from most critics. Especially targeted was star Patrick Swayze, who plays the film’s frequently bare-chested Zen bouncer.

So we went looking for some positive reactions. “I think I saw one,” said an MGM/UA publicity staffer, who later--triumphantly--found us four fairly glowing reviews.

New York magazine’s David Denby called “Road House” “mostly exploitation junk” but praised Swayze for holding it together: “He has an alertness and reserve--and a touch of feminine delicacy, even--that makes his action hero almost hip.”

The Milwaukee Journal’s Eugene Kane raved, “Solid story, non-stop action, exciting fight scenes, and lots of shots of Swayze’s chest.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Eleanor Ringel praised its Big Summer Movie elements (“sex, violence, romance, Monster Trucks and Patrick Swayze”--and swooned over Swayze’s bare buns and shirtless scenes.

In the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Michael H. Price wrote: “An expertly crafted, extraordinarily violent tough-guy thriller.” Price hailed Swayze’s “presence”--also noting that the star is a Texas boy.