Top 10 Patrick Swayze Movies of All Time

As sad as it is, Patrick Swayze died on September 14th, 2009 from pancreatic cancer. His legacy lives on, and as with any movie star or celebrity that we love, we want to remember them for the good times. As you look at this list of my favorite Patrick Swayze movies, I hope that you’ll remember the great man he was – and continue to be – for all of us.

#10. Next of Kin (1989)

In this cleverly constructed and undervalued 1989 American action thriller film directed by John Irvin, Patrick plays Truman Gates.

Truman is a Chicago officer on a mission to uncover the truth behind his brother’s death. However, another of his brothers tries to track down the killer on his own, only to be met with revenge. When things go wrong, Truman will do everything it takes to protect himself and his family.

The film’s engaging premise, personality, and action-packed sequences make it an enjoyable viewing. Swayze’s role is well-known for being a low-key performer.

Some of the scenes were filmed in the small Perry County in a Kentucky cold camp of hard Burley. The film earned a Razzie Award nomination for Swayze’s performance as worst actor. Although the film has since become a cult classic.

#9. Youngblood (1986)

Derek Sutton is played by Swayze in this 1986 American drama sports film. Peter Markle directed, coproduced, and cowrote the picture, which also stars Rob Lowe as Swayze’s onscreen pal.

Derek and the others treat Dean Youngblood badly when they meet him because he lacks toughness. They alter their minds after seeing how good he is at hockey.

Hockey players aim to impress scouts from the National Hockey League in this film. Derek and Dean form a connection, and despite the fact that Derek finds himself in a difficult circumstance, he is the one who serves as a mentor and persuades Dean to return to the game.

The film is a great slice of the 80s and is filled with engaging characters, action and a final showdown that brings it all to an end.

#8. Red Dawn (1984)

This 1984 American action picture is notable for being the first to be released in the United States with a PG 13 classification following the implementation of the new modified movie rating system in the same year.

Jed Eckert, the older brother of Charlie Sheen’s character Matt, is played by Patrick Swayze. Set in an alternate 1980s, a little hamlet is invaded by Soviet forces, and two brothers flee to the forest before being forced to battle for their community.

After its premiere in 1984, the picture was dubbed “the most violent movie ever filmed.” The National Coalition on Television Violence classified it X because it included 134 acts of violence per hour.

The director of the film, John Milius, put Swayze in charge of the cast since he was older and had more acting experience than them. After stating, Swayze, you’re my Lieutenant.

#7. City of Joy (1992)

Swayze’s role in this 1992 drama film is named Max Lowe. The film is based on Dominic LaPierre’s novel of the same name, which delves further into poverty in modern India. Life in the slums, to be precise.

Max Lowe is a Texan surgeon who has come to seek spiritual enlightenment, but things start to go wrong for him. Max jumps right into his new life as soon as he steps off the plane. Where he is currently, his medical training is critically required.

As the audience sees the narrative of an American doctor, a British nurse, and an Indian farmer joining forces, the film is recognized to be inspirational.

The film, however, was not a box office success. The interesting elements to the movie are what made it unique and eye-catching to some viewers, even though it was never highly rated.

#6. Road House (1989)

In this 1989 American action picture, Swayze plays John Dalton, a bouncer with a Ph.D. Dalton, a New York City native, works as a professional chiller (also known as security) in a Missouri nightclub.

Double Deuce is the name of the club, and it is recognized for being the loudest and rowdiest bar in town. Dalton must clean up the mess and restore order. Fortunately, he is a martial arts specialist and one of the greatest bouncers in the industry.

There’s a lot of action, bloodshed, and romance in this film. During filming, everyone in the movie executed their own stunts. Swayze gives an outstanding performance as a forceful figure.

And he also got to bring his singing talents to this film as well. Swayze sings Cliff’s Edge and Raising Heaven in Hell tonight in the film’s soundtrack.

#5. Keeping Mum (2005) 

Patrick Swayze plays an instructor named Lance in this 2005 British dark comedy film. The picture has all of the edge and humor that one would expect from a British dark comedy, and it boasts a fantastic ensemble.

Lance is an American golf pro who is teaching Gloria Walter’s wife private lessons in the film. Walter’s family is already dealing with its own set of problems, but he is too disconnected to notice.

Gloria is taken in by it. Lance’s approaches are motivated by a desperate need for love, and the family’s issues begin to pile up.

Grace the new housekeeper arrives, and these issues begin to resolve as she comes to learn about them. The best parts of the film portray a Mary Poppins style story when a good-hearted, yet lost family is set straight by their nanny.

#4. Dirty Dancing (1987)

In 1987, this romance drama dance film was released. Johnny Castle, a dance instructor played by Patrick Swayze, is the protagonist of the film. Baby, another character, falls in love with him, but Johnny is a man with a far different upbringing than she does.

Swayze had to persuade Baby Jennifer Grey’s actresses to be in the picture since she despised him while they were filming the movie red daybreak together.

They were forced to watch their screen tests, which revealed their incredible connection, and they resumed to filming with newfound vigor and passion.

The film was written by Eleanor Bergstein and is loosely based on her own childhood. After its premiere, the film earned over $214,000,000 worldwide.

It was Interestingly, the first film to sell more than 1 million copies for home video and is commonly known for its soundtrack. The film earned Patrick Swayze a Golden Globe nomination for best performance in a musical or comedy. 

#3. The Outsiders (1983)

Patrick Swayze plays Darrel Curtis in this 1983 coming-of-age movie. This film is notable for its ensemble cast of up-and-coming actors, including Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, and Tom Cruise, in addition to Swayze.

The film is credited with launching the brat pack genre of the 1980s. The Greasers, a young gang in rural Oklahoma, is the subject of the film.

They are at conflict with their competitor group’s socials. The gang finally has to deal with the ramifications of their aggressive lifestyle. This film is based on Esse Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, which was published in 1967.

It is thought to be a weird yet fun adaptation of the classic novel, and it conveys a realistic portrayal of poor teenagers and how young people act and experience the world.

#2. 11:14 (2003)

Frank is played by Patrick Swayze in this neonoir dark comedic thriller from 2003. The film explores five separate tales that all culminate in a series of events that occur on the same evening at 11:14 p.m.

These twisted narratives differ greatly from one another, but they all run concurrently in time before occuring at the same time.

With its different storylines, the film presents a unique type of storytelling. Incidents are viewed from five distinct viewpoints, each including persons who are just concerned with their own self-interest and are unconcerned with the ramifications for others.

One of the stories includes an overprotective dad played by Patrick Swayze, who goes out to walk with his dog and stumbles across something that makes him jump to a conclusion about his daughter.

The cleverness of the script requires the audience to piece together what they are watching in order to make sense, and this is one of the greatest qualities of the film.

The connections between the events are not apparent at first, but are gradually revealed by a series of progressively receding flashbacks. 

#1. Point Break (1991)

Kathryn Bigelow directed this American action crime film in 1991. It fulfills every action-loving audience with thrills.

The federal investigators who uncover these thieves are your average crooks after a run of armed bank robberies in California by crooks wearing a distinctive style of mask.

Bodhi, a charismatic figure played by Patrick Swayze, is the group’s leader. Keanu Reeves co-stars with Patrick Swayze as an undercover agent charged with tracking down the robbers.

After the film was released, critics applauded the intricate interaction between Reeves and Swayze’s characters.

Interesting fact, the film’s title refers to a surfing term called Point Break which is where we’ve breaks as it hits a point of land jutting out from the coastline.

The film opened to generally positive reception and grossed over $83.5 million. Since it has gained a cult following and resulted in a remake that was released in 2015.

The film is rated at 7.3 out of 10 on the IMDb website won one MTV movie award and was nominated for 2 others. 

This was our top 10 list of the best Patrick Swayze movies of all time. It is a great list of the best movies of Patrick Swayze ever made.

Do you agree with our list? If you have any suggestions or comments please shoot them down in the comments below.