James Dalton

James Dalton

Road House

Road House (1989)

Philosophizing and cooling

Philosopher-cooler

The Double Deuce of Jasper, Missouri

Road House is actually smarter than the average bear, a Dixie-fried drunken bar fight of a movie that transcends its premise by making its hero, James Dalton, so bizarrely out of place in such an environment that he almost becomes a mystical Messiah figure (but without the usual pesky requirement that he make the ultimate sacrifice. in this case, for the good of his bar patrons). For example, Dalton is constantly told by the various townsfolk that they "thought he'd be bigger" - yeah, constantly. How can such a relatively small man do the job he does, the thankless job of kicking drunks and rowdies to the sidewalk? Indeed, how? Also, Dalton left his home in New York City to take a job cleaning up the worst bar on the planet - in Jasper, Missouri. Who the hell does that? No one, no matter how many skeletons are rattlin' in their closet. Furthermore, we're also oft-reminded that Dalton holds a degree in philosophy from New York University. Ridiculous! What does a bouncer (or a "cooler," rather) need with such a high level of education? And why would someone with such an education become a bouncer (or "cooler," rather)? James Dalton is a walking contradiction... and that's why he wins.