Review: Jackie Brown (1997) · 7:41pm Jun 19th, 2015

So I decided to watch what many say is an underrated Tarantino film, his low-key ode to Blaxploitation and so far only adapted work, Jackie Brown, based on the novel Rum Punch.

And I thought it was pretty damn good.

Now, I do have to be honest and say that this doesn't exactly feel like the conventional Tarantino film. It isn't particularly violent, and its tone is far more laid back and lackadaisical then, say, Kill Bill or Pulp Fiction. Here, Tarantino chooses a relaxed pace, aimed more towards character study then wild over the top antics, and therefore the film feels slower and more sleepy. However, that plays in the films favor, since you get to know the characters well and understand their interactions. Also, being an adaptation, it has a different verbal tone from the rest of his works, and a more linear and direct plot line then most of his films.

The acting is top notch as always, with Pam Grier being believable and likable as the titular stewardess/mastermind Jackie Brown, and her romance with Robert Forster's Oscar nominated turn as laid back bail bondsman Max Cherry is organic and sincere.

Samuel L. Jackson steals the show as paranoid, gun happy gun smuggler Ordell Robbie, who has loads of quotable dialogue and some great interactions with Robert De Niro's sleepy eyed former bank robber turned stoner Louis Gara, who serves as a hilariously inept contrast to De Niro's other, far more threatening roles. Coupled with cheery and snarky Bridget Fonda as Ordell's current surfer girl squeeze, her scenes with De Niro are incredibly funny, due to their great chemistry, and the fact that De Niro is such a complete looser here.

Michael Keaton is good as the ATF agent Ray Nicolette, who is laid back and easy going, yet honest and by the book. Its fun to see Keaton in the role, as he's obviously having fun.

The music, is of course, AWESOME, being a great mix of 70s funk, with an additional Johnny Cash song thrown in as well. It's used brilliantly, and its all memorable.

One thing I noticed about this film, and an element that I think contributes to the easy going nature of the film, is Tarantino's use of long takes. Now, they have long been a trademark of his work, but here, he sneaks in a dozen, if not more, and the best part is how often you don't notice them at all. They're some of the best I've seen, and I've always been a sucker for such long takes.

So yeah, I liked the movie. It might not be the wild rides that, say, Kill Bill or Inglourious Basterds are, or the brutally hilarious explosions of ultra violence that Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction are, nor the epic scale of Django Unchained, but Jackie Brown still fits in with the rest of his filmography, as an example that, when he wants, Tarantino can make a relaxed movie that takes its time, while still having his trademark wit and snark.

I'm giving it a 5 out of 5