Patti Rocks Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.5

Patti Rocks Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 16, 2026

1988’s “Patti Rocks” is a strange movie in many ways, but it’s the rare picture that dares to be a sequel to a film very few people have seen. 1975’s “Loose Ends” established a relationship between two working class men desiring to break free from their dead-end lives, hoping to escape their troubles through a road trip. Co-writer/director David Burton Morris handled a tiny budget and actors Chris Mulkey and John Jenkins to bring heavy character work to life, and, apparently, they weren’t finished with these personalities. “Patti Rocks” returns to the troubled men “12 years later,” catching up with personalities who seek another escape, this time setting out to find a woman they hope holds the solution to at least some of their problems. Morris returns to investigate the buddies and their habitual immaturity, staying loose and profane as guards are lowered and the reality of existence returns to view.

Billy (Chris Mulkey) is making a living with ship work in St. Paul, Minnesota, newly dealing with an emergency in his life. Requesting a meeting with his old friend Eddie (John Jenkins), Billy shares the news that casual sex with a woman in La Crosse, Wisconsin named Patti (Karen Landry) has resulted in a pregnancy. Married, with two kids, Billy is disturbed by the news, but is eager to meet with Patti, urging Eddie to join him as they take a road trip to find the woman and deal with the situation. During the drive, the friends revive their old chemistry, talking openly about sexual experiences and demands, attempting to keep the reality of the situation from ruining their fun. However, Billy and Eddie can’t escape their personal issues, which flare up as tensions rise and a confrontation with Patti becomes imminent, challenging their friendship.

It’s the Christmas season in “Patti Rocks,” and there’s a Minnesota winter to help agitate already restless characters. Billy is facing news he doesn’t want, used to living a semi-vagabond life on the Mississippi River, which allows him to get away from his domestic responsibilities, if he even has any. Eddie is fed-up with life in an auto repair garage, happily speeding away from his job after dealing with careless employees. The men reunite in a local bar, and “Patti Rocks” follows the thawing of their chemistry (after six months of no contact), getting back into chauvinist mode, with Billy especially determined to assert male dominance when it comes to the handling of sex and relationships. He’s also confessional, sharing the news of Patti’s pregnancy, ready to hop in a car and confront a woman threatening to change his life once again.

A road trip commences in “Patti Rocks,” though Morris treats the 150-minute-long drive from St. Paul to La Crosse as an epic ride that takes up most of the day for the men. As the miles pass, the characters interact, discussing nonsense such as the length of gangster John Dillinger’s penis, and Billy goes into detail about past conquests and sexual demands, thinking very little about women despite being surrounded by them in his everyday life. Difficulties arrive with mishaps, as Billy has a run-in with a skunk that forces him to ditch most of his clothes, leaving him in the winter wearing only a thin jacket and Eddie’s boxer shorts, giving Mulkey a real acting challenge. “Patti Rocks” also gets tangled up in a bizarre encounter with a mother who calls Eddie on his boastfulness, but the majority of the picture focuses on exchanges between the main characters, which is filled with cursing and sexually charged discussions, which isn’t always sold convincingly by the actors, but they commit to the toxicity, and the film gradually cuts into the reality of life for Billy and Eddie as they continue down the road.

Patti Rocks Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation for "Patti Rocks" is listed as "restored from a 4K scan of its original 35mm internegative for its worldwide Blu-ray premiere." There are resolution limitations to the viewing experience, which is very soft, with fine detail not accessible. A general appreciation for frame information is possible, including elements of costuming and character appearances. Interiors are acceptable, providing some feel for decorative additions. Exteriors aren't sharp, but winter expanse is understood. Color is acceptable, exploring primaries on style choices and Christmas additions. The whiteness of winter is consistent, along with blue skies. Skin tones are natural. Grain battles with softness, growing chunky at times. And source limitations are present, with some mild ghosting detected.

Patti Rocks Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA "monaural" mix offers a straightforward understanding of "Patti Rocks," which is largely dominated by conversations. Dialogue exchanges are clear, handling argumentative extremes and quieter emotional confessions. Scoring and soundtrack selections support with decent instrumentation and sometimes louder position. Atmospherics are basic but appreciable as the characters explore their wintry surroundings and move along highways.

Patti Rocks Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet offers an interview with actor John Jenkins.

• Commentary features co-writer/director David Burton Morris and Victoria Wozniak.

• Isolated music track is included.

• "A New Position" (10:17, HD) is an interview with executive producer Sam Grogg, who recalls meeting co-writer/director David Burton Morris at a film festival, learning more about his 1975 feature, "Loose Ends," and its characters. Years later, Morris returned to Grogg with a script for "Patti Rocks," shooting the picture during a Minnesota winter, which hammered the helmer, forced to battle illness during the making of the movie. The interviewee explores the production's MPAA battle, with "Patti Rocks" initially hit with an X-rating due to language, triggering an appeals process that brought in "Scarface" and "Full Metal Jacket" for comparison. Unusual marketing efforts are also highlighted.

• "The History of FilmDallas Pictures" (15:25, HD) is an interview with producer Sam Grogg, who reaches back to his college years, developing his interest in moviemaking and film history, which helped to open doors for him in the industry, scoring a job at the AFI. The interviewee examines his entrance into fundraising, helping to shape investments in such pictures as "Choose Me" and the "Dirt Bike Kid." Finding success with "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "A Trip to Bountiful," business was sustained, taking the company to Oscar gold and additional production opportunities, including "Patti Rocks."

• Image Gallery (3:22) collects film stills, BTS snaps, marketing art, and publicity shots.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:02, HD) is included.

Patti Rocks Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Patti is introduced in the last act of the picture, emerging as an intelligent person dealing with Billy's cowardice and Eddie's interest. "Patti Rocks" doesn't escalate into a more direct attack on these personalities, with Morris preferring to capture the actors as they figure out scenes and responses. Intimacy and honesty is the quest here, and the three actors do a fine job exploring habits and fears, even when the writing takes a few strange turns that bend reality. "Patti Rocks" is theatrical in nature, highlighting interplay in tight spaces, and there's an interesting study of male ego and denial to be found in the offering. Though it takes some work to claw through the artificiality of behavior and a few odd dramatic choices to get there.