Next of Kin

Next of Kin Movie Poster

"A Chicago cop from the hills of Kentuky.  Hunting his brother's killer.  Seeking justice country style."

Next of Kin was a 1989 action movie starring Patrick Swayze as Truman Gates, Liam Neeson as Briar Gates, Helen Hunt as Jessie Gates, and Bill Paxton as Gerald Gates.  The film was not a hit with critics at the time, nor was it a hit with movie goers (it only made a few million dollars over budget).  Swayze even managed to earn a Razzie nomination for worst actor.  Nevertheless, since 1989, the movie has become more popular and has a bit of a cult following.

In this movie, Truman Gates (Swayze) has moved from Appalachia to Chicago, with his pregnant wife Jessie (Hunt), to become a cop.  When the economy goes south back home, Truman invites his brother Gerald (Paxton) to come to Chicago for work as a truck driver.  After Truman is killed by a mob boss family member during a hijacking, Truman's older brother, Briar Gates (Neeson), decides to come to Chicago to bring justice upon the killers.  After he is killed after wreaking havoc on the mob, the rest of the Gates hillbilly family comes to Chicago to take revenge.  By this time, Truman has resigned from the police force and is in full revenge mode himself.  In the end, after much carnage on both sides, the truth about some happenings that really pissed the mob off comes to light, and the Gates and Isabella (the mob) families make peace.