Day 172 - Jackie Brown



Day 172          Jackie Brown [1997]
                          
Screenplay                    Quentin Tarantino
Based on                       ‘Rum Punch’ by Elmore Leonard
Director                         Quentin Tarantino
Cinematography            Guillermo Navarro
Music                            James Newton Howard
Leads                            Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Michael Keaton, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Chris Tucker, Michael Bowen
Production                     A Band Apart, Mighty Mighty Afrodite Productions, Lawrence Bender Productions

IMDb                                7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes                86%

I’m not far off having seen all the films Tarantino has directed. I’m yet to see his first although it was partially lost in a lab fire, My Best Friend’s Birthday, and his collaborations with Rodriguez, Grindhouse and Four Rooms. I may be able to safely say I’ve seen all his best ones as I didn’t particularly enjoy the last collaboration between him and Rodriguez, From Dusk Till Dawn (Day 40). Jackie Brown is the only film he has directed that is adapted from a previous work, Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard. Although you’d be excused for thinking it was a Tarantino original as it oozes his style, perhaps without his uninhibited twists. Pam Grier gets the film title and leading role, Bob De Niro is the big name and quirky supporting character, however for me this film is all about Samuel L. Jackson. He plays arms dealer Ordell, a good-time criminal, relaxed and humorous, but doesn’t fuck around when it comes to his business. It’s a role made for Jackson, famous for his ‘Bad Motherfucker’ role in Pulp, and he slides smoothly into it like Javier Bardem into the villain’s role. I also liked Bridget Fonda’s head strong stoner, Melanie. I can’t fail to mention Keaton and Bowen as special agents, although they are simply a side note to the aforementioned characters. It’s quintessential Tarantino. Character drives plot. Long conversational scenes that often don’t affect the plot, but they inform the audience of what type of person each character is, thus subconsciously explaining their subsequent actions. Robert Forster was the weak link for me. He is a little too boring and unassuming for me. I’m sure it was intended but it put me off. I’m highly excited for Tarantino’s next one about the Manson murders and Jackie Brown again proved to me that when he’s alone and in charge Tarantino can seemingly do no wrong.

Acting                               4 / 4
Writing                           3.5 / 4
Cinematography             3.5 / 4
Music                             3.5 / 4
HWF rating               3.5 / 4

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