Jackie Brown
"One Of The Year's Best!" -Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Combining an explosive mix of intense action and edgy humor wirh a sizzling all-star cast, director Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction) scores with the entertaining Jackie Brown. What do a sexy stewardess (Pam Grier), a street-tough gun runner (Samuel L. Jackson), a lonley bail bondsman (Robert Forster), a shifty ex-con (Robert De Niro), an earnest federal agent (Michael Keaton) and a stoned-out beach bunny (Bridget Fonda) have in common? They're six players on the trail of a half million dollars in cash! The only questions are... who's going to get played... and who's going to make the big score?
Member Reviews
Amazing piece of cinema - moviemonger
For the most part, Jackie Brown is a pretty ordinary crime movie. The story, which starts out slowly, develops into a twisty affair, with double-crosses and triple- crosses. And the movie is littered with occasional Tarantino trademarks: witty dialogue, unexpected gunfire, '70s pop tunes, and close-ups of womens' bare feet. Unsurprisingly, the most memorable performance is turned in by Samuel L. Jackson, but Ordell isn't nearly as invigorating or compelling a character as Jules from Pulp Fiction. In addition to looking fantastic, Pam Grier is also quite good, although hers is not an Oscar-caliber performance (although she might get a nomination). Robert Forster and Michael Keaton are solid in their tough-guys-who-rarely-smile roles. Bridget Fonda is around for three discernible reasons: to look sexy in a bikini, to provide a little twisted comedy, and to satisfy Tarantino's foot fetish. Robert De Niro is criminally underused in a part that could have been played equally well by any grungy-looking, middle-aged actor. The film, which clocks in at several minutes over the two-and-a-half hour mark, is probably too long for the material, but the plot is convoluted enough to keep us guessing throughout (although the payoff is a letdown). Tarantino keeps things moving along nicely, with a heavier dose of humor and less violence than in Pulp Fiction, but, on the whole, this movie seems more like the work of one of his wannabes than something from the director himself. If you haven’t seen it, I urge you to give it a spin.Slick characters and slick dealings in one perfectly executed film - napierslogs
I never thought that I would actually like a Quentin Tarantino movie, let alone think that it's a brilliant film that should be revered. "Pulp Fiction" (1994) was entertaining but most of his other violent, ridiculous "artistry" I couldn't even sit through. "Jackie Brown" though, gives us some powerful characters to connect to, a drug and money plot which for the most part makes sense, and relatively, very little violence.
The eponymous Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is a 44 year-old black woman, but I can't describe her using Samuel L. Jackson's words because they are all expletives. I am hoping that I'm allowed to laugh at Jackson's many racial, blasphemous, and offensive declarations because they were hilarious.
The majority of the comedy is when we are being introduced to all the characters at the beginning of the film. Once we establish that Ordell (Jackson) is a very ruthless, rich arms-dealer, then we establish that Jackie Brown might be more like the opposite of him, a hard-working stewardess trying to make right in society. But they're friends and she's caught with his money and cocaine.
After giving us some rich characters, we then get a plot. A plot which involves some very shady connections, and under-handing and double-crossing. But we're given everything we need to know so it's easy to follow, and then we get to guess who is actually working for whom and who is defrauding whom. And every single one of these potentially-suspicious characters is played by a great actor in a role seemingly made for them.
"Jackie Brown" is filmmaking at its best with these vibrant characters, engaging story and the detailed use of style, song choice, and framing of shots to keep all of the connections alive. Who would have known that Tarantino knew how to write for, and dress, a woman so well?
Follow my blog Napierslogs' Movie Expositions at http://napierslogs.blogspot.coma refreshing change of pace - clauditorium
The people who were disappointed with this film were probably thinking, "How dare Quentin Tarantino make something other than 'Pulp Fiction 2' after making it big?" Which is a very narrow-minded way to look at things.
This is Tarantino's Elmore Leonard adaptation / blaxploitation homage / Pam Grier worship movie. It doesn't grab your attention like his previous two films, and that's because here he slows down so as to draw more detailed characters. He's abetted by the actors, who turn in rich, flavourful performances, including Robert De Niro, who makes his character goofy and very funny.
There are only two things holding this movie back. This is the first time Tarantino isn't doing his own thing - it's an adaptation, and this seems to have led him to be a little too self-conscious in terms of style. Also, the film could afford to be ten-fifteen minutes shorter.
Member Reviews
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Amazing piece of cinema - moviemonger
For the most part, Jackie Brown is a pretty ordinary crime movie. The story, which starts out slowly, develops into a twisty affair, with double-crosses and triple- crosses. And the movie is littered with occasional Tarantino trademarks: witty dialogue, unexpected ...Slick characters and slick dealings in one perfectly executed film - napierslogs
I never thought that I would actually like a Quentin Tarantino movie, let alone think that it's a brilliant film that should be revered. "Pulp Fiction" (1994) was entertaining but most of his other violent, ridiculous "artistry" I couldn't even sit through. ...a refreshing change of pace - clauditorium
The people who were disappointed with this film were probably thinking, "How dare Quentin Tarantino make something other than 'Pulp Fiction 2' after making it big?" Which is a very narrow-minded way to look at things.
This is Tarantino's Elmore Leonard ...