Next of Kin (1989)

A Chicago policeman and his Appalachian kinfolk seek to exact vengeance from the gangsters responsible for murdering his younger brother.

"Well, He Should Have Drove Them Home And Cut Them There, Melvin, Would Have Saved Us A S---load of Trouble."

Great acting from Liam Neeson and Patrick Swayze. Wish some who reviewed the movie had watched it more carefully. Gerald (Truman's brother) wasn't doing anything illegal, he worked for a company with vending machines who were targeted by the Chicago mob for takeover--he got caught in a takeover mob killing. And Truman's (Swayze) brother's name was Briar (so typically mountain)--not Blair. And a reviewer wondered how Briar (Neeson) knew Chicago so well since he had never been there--Briar clearly states at Gerald's funeral he HAS been to Chicago and didn't like it, he returned home to Ky.--so that's why he knew his way around town. Both Neeson and Swayze do a great job in expressing the culture of the "hills" versus the Chicago life. Helen Hunt is good as Truman's (Swayze) wife. The scenes of the hills when Truman takes Gerald's body home for burial is so true to life, the snake bus, the relatives and their desire to settle things their way, the houses (and Briar's old RV-home), the deer head in the refrigerator and the scenes of the hill country--just exactly the way it is.

Truman has gone to Chicago to make himself a better life. He's still a "mountain boy" at heart but his family back in the hills are as real as it gets. Gerald, the younger brother, has followed him to Chicago to make some money to buy a coal truck and return back to Kentucky. Also, for any who might know "mountain music", Truman, Gerald and Briar's mother is played by Jean Ritchie, one of the most famous and best of the traditional mountain dulcimer players and song writers in the business. It was a treat to see her in the role of Mom. This is a great movie, so very underrated, great acting, good story line, good paring of actors with intensity. Swayze is great as usual, Neeson can't be beat, his accent is perfect as is his look for this movie.

I loved the response (as my subject line) Truman made when he was called to a seedy hotel to get a "mountain boy" involved in a murder to surrender--Truman knew Chicago as a Chicago cop--and he knew the mentality of the mountain culture--an eye for an eye and you settle your differences yourself. There were a number of great one-liners in this movie--some I particularly liked were Swayze's "enticement" to Helen Hunt for a little romp upstairs, "do you believe in the hereafter, then you know what I'm here after" and "wanna play on my teetertotter"--too funny.

The music was great in this movie, a little culture and a lot of country. Swayze again wrote a song especially for this movie--"Brothers" sung by Swayze and Larry Gatlin.

Great movie and one I will watch over and over. May 14, 2008

I can't ratethis onebecauseit wasthe wrong movie sent

thank you for a timely delivery but wrong moviein case thank you for roadhouse though May 13, 2008

GREAT SWAYZW

Patrick Swayze is such a great actor. I wish he was still making these great movies. This is a wonderful addition to anyone's collection. December 25, 2007

Next of Kin

Another one of Patrick Swayze's great movies. Full of action and excitment. The entire cast put on a great preformance. I would highly recommend this movie if you like action and excitment. October 27, 2007

a sneaky quilty pleasure of a movie

This movie shows up every once and while on tv and if I see I stop and watch it. It doesn't matter if it is the begining, middle, or the end, I stop and watch. Each time something shows up that I just shake my head at. For example the music is a mixture of old hill music with some classical type pieces thrown in. It takes a few viewings but you wonder how this music came to be in a "action" movie. The accents are wonderful. West Virgina accents are done to perfection. The phone call to relatives in West Virgina telling them about the death of one of their own, is a gem. In very few words and set of the mouth you feel the pain, and anger of a family. The gathering of the klan in West Virgina has a quiet dignity to it. The family loading up guns, bows, and snakes, then pausing to pick up the sandwitches that their wives have made is not funny, but moving. Forget about Patrick Swayse, the real stars are supporting cast. You see them and then shake you head at how far they have come as actors. A strange movie, but a satisfing one. July 6, 2007

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