If you love both versions of the movie Roadhouse, then you should check out the movie that stars both leads. Donnie Darko features both Jake Gyllenhaal and Patrick Swayze and is superb.
Right now, Amazon Prime Video's number one movie is the new remake of Roadhouse. The fresh spin on the 80s cult classic stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the bouncer brought in to sort out the rowdiest bar imaginable and has been watched over 50 million times.
That's a record breaking level of popularity for the streaming service, and has also brought the 1989 original into the spotlight. The Patrick Swayze flick is also on Prime Video and sits at an impressive fifth place in the top 10 movies.
Well if you're one of the millions who've been enjoying the two stars, why not check out both new and old Dalton in the same movie? Gyllenhaal and Swayze are both on top form in Donnie Darko, streaming now on Amazon Freevee (or Peacock in the US). While it's very different to Roadhouse, you won't regret watching what is a true cult classic.
Gyllenhaal plays the title character, a teenager struggling with otherworldly hallucinations. Including a giant rabbit called Frank who tells him the world is set to end in less than a month. Its weird yes, but also wonderfully charming.
Swayze is a less central but equally important character. He plays Jim Cunningham, a local celebrity, author and a near god-like figure for many at Donnie's school. He is seen as the moral arbiter for young people growing up, but his conservative old-school values don't sit well with Donnie. He is an intensely dislikable character, a million miles away from Roadhouse's Dalton. Spoiler alert - he doesn't rip anyone's throat out either.
Donnie Darko may be an unusual movie, but it's also a very good one that has spawned countless Halloween costumes and iconic quotes to boot. If you put store in Rotten Tomatoes scores then it is actually a much better film than both iterations of Roadhouse, with a strong 87% from critics. It's the peak of weird cinema, but also a strong story worthy of multiple watches.
