Jackie Brown
Chad'z rating: **** (out of 4 = excellent)
1997, R, 155 minutes [2 hours, 35 minutes]
[crime/mystery]
starring: Pam Grier (Jackie Brown), Samuel L. Jackson (Ordell Robbie), Robert Forster (Max Cherry), Robert De Niro (Louis Gara); produced by Lawrence Bender; written and directed by Quentin Tarantino; based on the novel "Rum Punch" by Elmore Leonard.
Seen January 3, 1997 at 3:40 p.m. at The Latham Circle Mall Cinema 9 (Latham, NY), theater #3, with Matt Perreault and Chris Wessell for $5. [Theater rating: **1/2: fuzzy picture, good sound, average seats]
It's funny how basic truths can be misleading. The promotions for "Jackie Brown" mention something about six players after a half million dollars in cash, while at the same time playing each other, and for the most part this is true. However, the hook to the film is not so much the conflict involving the money, but the way each character relates to and uses the other, and the detailed specifics of how they interact.
Pam Grier stars as Jackie Brown, a black airline stewardess in her 40s who is doing the best she can to get by. When she is taken into custody by ATF agent Ray Nicolet (Michael Keaton) for supposedly smuggling in a large amount of cash, we begin to learn more about her and a shady past (and present) she is trying to put behind her. We are also introduced to gun-runner Ordell Robbie (Jackson), a clever, talkative thug who has just been reacquainted with Louis Gara (De Niro), a quiet, slightly dim-witted ex-con. There's also Ordell's sexy, but lazy, lady-friend Melanie (Bridget Fonda) whose attraction to Louis makes for great, unspoken tension. And last, but certainly not least, Robert Forster as seasoned bail bondsman Max Cherry, who gives an ordinary character an overwhelming sense of being.
In "Pulp Fiction" Tarantino was able to tell several over-lapping stories that served as a both a great anthology and complete story, all strung together by excellent characterization. Here we get just the opposite - a chiseled character study which pushes and pulls the plot from all directions. Where other directors and/or screenwriters might rush to establish and develop a story as complicated as the one we get here, Tarantino takes his time, which allows us to enjoy the ride even longer. For example, the basic story concerns Ordell's efforts to use Jackie to smuggle in 1990S from Mexico, but everyone else wants (and needs) a part of the scam in one way or another. Jackie wants the money to buy a better life, but Agent Nicolet needs her to help him catch Ordell. Max has been smitten by Jackie's charm and wants to help her, but not put himself at risk in the process. Meanwhile, Melanie distracts Louis which somewhat botches Ordell's plan, but not enough to further her own agenda.
This premise may or may not sound complicated, but simply watching how the film breaks down the plot from story arc to individual scenes and even intricate shots themselves gives one the sense of awe. This isn't just a story about people after money, it's a great exercise in character interaction and what they are capable of. All of the characters may be typical, but their characterization is not. It's fascinating to watch how a seemingly everyday person like Jackie can almost single-handedly outsmart the vileness of Ordell and the valor of Nicolet. Everything she says and does makes complete sense and seems realistic, while at the same time utilizing Tarantino's pulp-esque appeal.
It's remarkable how fluidly the story to "Jackie Brown" flows, especially considering how it uses violence, double-crosses, and vulgarity to its advantage without becoming remotely gratuitous. Every character is so authentic they practically radiate auras, as the witty dialogue and outstanding performances perfectly enhance each other. At no point is there any way to tell which direction the story will go next - why can't all movies be like that?
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(C) 1997 Chad Polenz
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