Rob Cohen was set to do the ROAD HOUSE remake since 2013, but when Ronda Rousey was announced to take the mantle from Patrick Swayze, his name was nowhere to be found, which aroused suspicion that he was off the show. He was; his replacement is Nick Cassavetes.
Cassavetes will write and direct the “re-envisioning” of Rowdy Herrington’s cult classic. The director, son of legendary, groundbreaking filmmaker John Cassavetes, started as an actor before helming such films as THE OTHER WOMAN, MY SISTER’S KEEPER, ALPHA DOG, and, of course, THE NOTEBOOK (featuring his mama Gena Rowlands).
Has he done anything with action? No, unless JOHN Q counts (and it doesn’t). But he’s worked primarily with female leads, which makes him an appropriate choice for this Y chromosome-lite remake of this wholly macho classic. At least they didn’t mandate that a woman had to direct this just because the lead lacks man parts (though neither Cassavetes nor any white, male offspring of famous directors are in that much need of validation within the industry).
I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen from Cassavetes in the past, and ALPHA DOG, in particular, wasn’t afraid to go too extreme or oddball when the story called for it (Ben Foster shits on a carpet out of anger partway through the film). If he’s cool with throats getting ripped and zen wisdom getting dispensed, then it’s all good, brah.
