JACKIE BROWN (1997) A Film Review by Ted Prigge Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Director: Quentin Tarantino Writer: Quentin Tarantino (based on the novel "Rum Punch" by Elmore Leonard) Starring: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Robert DeNiro, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton, Michael Bowen, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Tom "Tiny" Lister Jr, Margaret Cho, Denise Crosby, Sid Haig, Aimee Graham, Chris Tucker
I have a feeling many people will be let-down when seeing Quentin Tarantino's follow-up to "Pulp Fiction" as it is not a "Pulp Fiction." Or a "Reservoir Dogs" for that matter. It's not a hip, non-linear morality play, doesn't contain any big speeches on popular culture, and doesn't have a ton of shoot-outs, blood, or a lot of gore. "Jackie Brown" is all about simple pleasures, telling us a simple story motivated entirely by characters. It's not a retread of either of his films, yet still remains amazing in its own right, which means one thing: That's right, Mr. Tarantino is the Real McCoy.
I've read a couple Elmore Leonard novels, and the great thing about him is that he creates a world that's so seductive that it's almost a pity that it has to end. He tells simple crime stories, filled with characters who are living breathing people. They have a vernacular all their own, and they clash off of eachother, creating the storylines entirely from them. None of them are stuck in a crime story, they're stuck in the crime world. And instead of Quentin doing his own schtick, he has adapted one of his novels ("Rum Punch"), and it's about time, because seeing his others films, you know it's a perfect duo.
"Jackie Brown," which is the name of the protagonist changed a bit to be an homage to that old Pam Grier classic "Foxy Brown," is a simple story, made complex by the characters. It centers a middle-aged flight attendant, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier, getting a career lift, after all those years of crap Segal flicks), who has a side-line of running gun money for a small time arms dealer in Compton: Ordell Robie (Samuel L. Jackson - who else could have done this role?). The cops have caught her, and they give her a choice: either spill the beans, and probably definitely be killed by Robie...or do some time, which would mean she'd be screwed for life, since she's 44 and all, and a flight attendant.
Meanwhile, a bail bondsman named Max Cherry (Robert Forster, who's biggest thing other than this was a starring role in that John Sayles-penned creature feature, "Alligator") who meets Jackie when he gets her out of jail for Ordell at the beginning, and falls deeply in love with her. The two begin helping eachother out and all, and we get a nice tender love story going on which never feels forced or corny (thank god).
Also in on the film are two ATF agents (Michael Keaton and Michael Bowen), who are working with Jackie; a dim-witted ex-prison con named Louis Gara (scummy-looking Robert DeNiro), who's working with Ordell; and the beach girl/pot head Melanie (Bridget Fonda), who has a lot of wit in between her inhalations.
What's interesting is that all of these characters have intelligence, and are never restricted by the plot. These characters do a lot of talking, and there are some scenes where they're just hanging out that are just as fascinating if not more than the suspense sequences. I loved the scene where Melanie and Louis were talking about a picture, mainly because it was so excellently written, acted, and subtely directed. He pulls us into a world where the characters reign, and lets us drop in on them just chilling. That's what's great about Tarantino.
The plot is complex and all, yet simple. What I liked about it was how it was never overwhelming, and how it was never in the foreground. Even Jackie being caught by the police was justified since one of the less-intelligent characters gave her away. Tarantino's characters have never been as well-defined than in this one, and his dialogue has never really been as brilliant, in respects to the way he makes the characters sound like real people. Sure, there are no big speeches about European McDonalds, and even no great one-liners like "I'm gonna get medieval on your ass," but he allows us to get drawn into the characters, and never overwhelms us with anything else.
The acting from everyone is flawless. There's not one bad performance in the movie. Pam Grier gives the performance of her career, hitting every single note of her character, and making her seem first and foremost like a person. After all, it's kind of a biographical character. Here's a woman who's had some good things happen to her (the whole blaxploitation thing in real life), but is stuck doing a crap thankless job (flight stewardess in the movie; bad films in real life), and has a chance to get away rich (the half-a-million in the movie; the movie in real life). Watching her in this movie, even I wanted to cast her in a movie of mine. She's amazing.
But she doesn't do the best acting job. That award goes to Robert Forster, who needed a career face-lift because he's never really had a big career. Older than Grier is, he provides the film with heart, and gives a flawless performance as the older bail bondsman, stuck in a crap job, and possessing a bit of puppy dog love for Grier. Watching him act is one of the true simple joys of watching "Jackie Brown."
Everyone else is great too. Samuel L. Jackson is predictably brilliant, shouting out the N-word over and over and over again (last night on Charlie Rose, Quentin discussed this, and said that's how someone like Ordell really talks - and also talked about the whole Spike Lee being pissed off again spiel). DeNiro fits perfectly into the world of Tarantino (maybe he and Keitel can finally get a film together where they actually have some good screentime), also hitting every single note of his character. Fonda is amazing as the pot headed beach bum who's motivation it is to get stoned and watch TV - I loved her in every single scene she had. And Keaton has a small part, but utilizes it wonderfully, without every going "Beatlejuice" with it. Christ Tucker, who has a very small one-scene role is hilarious without getting too "Fifth Element"-y (in fact, it seems like he took some well-needed prozac).
But the best thing about this is Quentin, the man on the marquee (do you think people are rushing to see this for Pam Grier?). He's still in love with every single frame, and it shows. His style's still in tact, but it's more subtle this time, to reflect on the state of mind of Jackie, who's worn out. This works brilliantly, especially since this film wouldn't work with anything outrageous. There's no ear cutting or male rape; and there are only a few shocking scenes, and even they aren't really shocking. There are so many things I loved about this film that I couldn't even list them since it would go on forever.
At a running time one minute longer than that of "Pulp Fiction," the film would seem to go on foerever. But he directs this leisurely, and we just chill with the characters. Quentin directs this like a grown-up blaxploitation film, starting off with a typical blaxploitation opening (which hints at the opening of "The Graduate"), with Pam looking all cool, then shows her just going to work. This kind of maturity is what "Jackie Brown" is all about. This is the film that shows that Quentin can actually direct.
Along with "Titanic," this is the best film to see right now. It's a damn-near flawless little piece of film noir, filled with excellent characterization, and just the right bit of hipness. I looked hard but could not even find one thing wrong with the film. Every single thing is in tact with the film. This is not "Reservoir Dogs" or "Pulp Fiction." It's "Jackie Brown": a completely different film. And that's what I loved about it.
MY RATING (out of 4): ****
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