Jackie Brown

Back to Quentin Tarantino for his 1997 crime opus Jackie Brown. Many critics and viewers have (both positively and negatively) claimed that this film is somehow a departure from his previous two films, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. I don't see this as being the case, however. Admittedly the film is less saturated in graphic violence, pop culture references and film buff moments than Tarantino's previous efforts, and a bit more focused on characterization. However, it still maintains the style, panache, deadpan dialogue and intricate plotting of his previous films, and if it's not quite as good as Pulp Fiction, it's considerably better than Reservoir Dogs.

Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is a middle-aged, down-on-her-luck airline stewardess who runs money to Mexico for arms dealer Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson) on the side. Jackie is arrested by the Feds for a planted stash of cocaine, and she's quickly bailed out by Ordell, who is highly suspicious of her, to say the least. Desperate to get out of trouble, Jackie, with the help of bond officer Max Cherry (Robert Forster), launches an intricate scheme to get herself out of trouble with the law and get back at Ordell in the bargain. Also involved in the plot are Louis (Robert De Niro), an ex-con friend of Ordell's, and Melanie (Bridget Fonda), Ordell's loud-mouthed, dope-smoking girlfriend, who plan a scheme of their own to swindle both Jackie and Ordell.

Jackie Brown is not so much a departure from Tarantino's earlier films as it is a much more mature version of the same. The intricate, Swiss-watch plotting is just as skillfully done as Pulp Fiction, although the story is much more focused, and the characters are, for the most part, much better-drawn. Indeed, characterization is undoubtedly the film's strong-suit: Jackie and Max at least are sympathetic, flawed and complex characters, not criminals by nature but damaged people trying to get by - hardly cool tough guys like the color crooks or Vince and Jules. The movie makes a few nods to blaxsploitation pics of the '70s (and a soundtrack full of Motown favorites) but keeps its pop culture references mostly in check; Tarantino makes the story (adapted from an Elmore Leonard novel) his own, creating a rivetting crime epic in the process. The movie may run a bit long in the tooth at 155 minutes, but it's never boring and the vagaries of the plot and characters are more than enough to keep a viewer interested for the duration.

Tarantino's cast is somewhat scaled down compared to his previous efforts, but this hardly a bad thing. Former '70s blaxploitation star Pam Grier is a revelation in the title role. Still gorgeous at 48, Grier has a great screen presence, and brings a large degree of depth, strength and weariness to Jackie, giving a career-best performance. Robert Forster, another refugee from '70s B-movies (remember Alligator?), is equally solid as her initially reluctant accomplice Max. Samuel L. Jackson is good playing his usual foul-mouthed tough guy part, and Michael Keaton is well-cast as a duplicitious police officer. On the other hand, Robert De Niro and Bridget Fonda are underused and don't contribute much to the film (their roles are hardly "crucial" as Video Hound claims), and even in a very brief role Chris Tucker is horribly annoying (at least Tarantino has the good sense to pump him full of lead at the earliest opportunity).

Although not his best work, Jackie Brown is another solid entry in Tarantino's oeuvre and comes highly recommended. However, forgive me for hesitating in plunging into the Kill Bill films for the moment.

Rating: 8/10 - Highly Recommended