Although "Pulp Fiction" is touted as the best Quentin Tarantino movie, I disagree.
"Jackie Brown" according to me is his best. Not to mention the best movie ever with a strong female lead character. (Not it is not Erin Brockovich!).
The villainy laced with humor, the edge of the seat thriller with a touch of romance and the memorable one-liners. Yes! this is my favorite Tarantino movie.
Having watched it over five times, I still get some nuggets every time I re-watch it.
Jackie Brown (an awesome Pam Grier), a middle-aged 44 year old air stewardess, is in trouble when she is caught smuggling cash and some dope. She needs two things to survive and live a decent life - not go to prison and not get killed by her repugnant boss and smuggler, Ordell (Samuel L Jackson).
What she does to achieve both these goals would put Scarlett O'Hara to shame!
There are so many things that hit the right notes in this film that it is difficult to know where to begin.
So I will start with my latest favorite scene (this keeps changing every time I re-watch it).
There is a scene where Jackie Brown is picked up by the bail-bonds man,Max Cherry, from jail. Jackie is sauntering towards the car and Max strains to catch a glimpse of her. That somehow forms the essence of the movie. Here is a woman who is coming out of jail but her pace and her stature seems dignified, cool and almost intimidating. Is this the moment that Max falls for her or is it when she plays "Didn't I do it baby" by The Delfonics, the next morning?
But don't be fooled by the soft undertones described above.
The gruesome scene where Ordell kills one of his employees,Beaumont, with the famous line
"An employee I had to let go" shows that Ordell is out to get Jackie unless she out-smarts him.
And she does more than out-smart him. She comes up with a ploy to fool both Ordell and the cops. With the help of Max, she manages to come out of it unscathed.
But that is not the point of the movie after your first viewing.
Quentin is great at establishing characters. Listen to this dialogue by Melanie, Ordell's girlfriend.
Melanie is also greedy and how that greed lands her in trouble is a scene not to be missed.
And what can I say about Robert De Niro. We forget that he is the great actor from Taxi Driver or God father. He plays Louis, a daft friend of Ordell. His role is understated and De Niro morphs into it.
The highlight of this movie is Pam Grier.
As Jackie Brown, she dominates every scene that she is in.
The way she smokes her cigarette in front of the cops, how she manages to buy a suit in the midst of a sting operation, the music that she sways to just after getting out of jail and standing up to Ordell even when the stakes are high. She is the female version of Rick Blane. Except with brass knobs on!
Of course, this writeup wouldn't be complete without mentioning Robert Forster. He was rightfully nominated for the Best Support Actor Oscar for his role as Max Cherry. His restrained acting whether dealing with Ordell or not revealing his true feelings for Jackie makes him the twenty-first century Stevens.
In the last scene when Jackie asks Max if he is scared of her? He gestures with his fingers saying "A little" and we can't help but nod in agreement.
(And whether this last scene is better than the one in "Lost in Translation" is debatable)
"Jackie Brown" according to me is his best. Not to mention the best movie ever with a strong female lead character. (Not it is not Erin Brockovich!).
The villainy laced with humor, the edge of the seat thriller with a touch of romance and the memorable one-liners. Yes! this is my favorite Tarantino movie.
Having watched it over five times, I still get some nuggets every time I re-watch it.
Jackie Brown (an awesome Pam Grier), a middle-aged 44 year old air stewardess, is in trouble when she is caught smuggling cash and some dope. She needs two things to survive and live a decent life - not go to prison and not get killed by her repugnant boss and smuggler, Ordell (Samuel L Jackson).
What she does to achieve both these goals would put Scarlett O'Hara to shame!
There are so many things that hit the right notes in this film that it is difficult to know where to begin.
So I will start with my latest favorite scene (this keeps changing every time I re-watch it).
There is a scene where Jackie Brown is picked up by the bail-bonds man,Max Cherry, from jail. Jackie is sauntering towards the car and Max strains to catch a glimpse of her. That somehow forms the essence of the movie. Here is a woman who is coming out of jail but her pace and her stature seems dignified, cool and almost intimidating. Is this the moment that Max falls for her or is it when she plays "Didn't I do it baby" by The Delfonics, the next morning?
But don't be fooled by the soft undertones described above.
The gruesome scene where Ordell kills one of his employees,Beaumont, with the famous line
"An employee I had to let go" shows that Ordell is out to get Jackie unless she out-smarts him.
And she does more than out-smart him. She comes up with a ploy to fool both Ordell and the cops. With the help of Max, she manages to come out of it unscathed.
But that is not the point of the movie after your first viewing.
Quentin is great at establishing characters. Listen to this dialogue by Melanie, Ordell's girlfriend.
Ordell You know you smoke too much of that shit, that shit gonna rob you of your own ambition.
Melanie: Not if your ambition is to get high and watch TV...
Melanie is also greedy and how that greed lands her in trouble is a scene not to be missed.
And what can I say about Robert De Niro. We forget that he is the great actor from Taxi Driver or God father. He plays Louis, a daft friend of Ordell. His role is understated and De Niro morphs into it.
The highlight of this movie is Pam Grier.
As Jackie Brown, she dominates every scene that she is in.
The way she smokes her cigarette in front of the cops, how she manages to buy a suit in the midst of a sting operation, the music that she sways to just after getting out of jail and standing up to Ordell even when the stakes are high. She is the female version of Rick Blane. Except with brass knobs on!
Of course, this writeup wouldn't be complete without mentioning Robert Forster. He was rightfully nominated for the Best Support Actor Oscar for his role as Max Cherry. His restrained acting whether dealing with Ordell or not revealing his true feelings for Jackie makes him the twenty-first century Stevens.
In the last scene when Jackie asks Max if he is scared of her? He gestures with his fingers saying "A little" and we can't help but nod in agreement.
(And whether this last scene is better than the one in "Lost in Translation" is debatable)
