Masterful character study. Hard to criticise effectively.

Rating: 8/10 (9 November 2007)

I start off by noting that this was not nearly as gratifying as its influence, Port and Cigars. Though masterful in its own light and very difficult to criticise effectively, it's always important to spotlight chronology as THE base element of ALL things.
It's a solid character study. A lot of the interactions are complex, stuttering and uncomfortable. Edgy enough that you'll have to pay attention to draw any actual meanings out of the experience. Others are whimsical to the point of comic relief. What Tarantino wants to do, but can't, because he's a cinematographer and not a writer.
Though the conversations are loosely connected -- by minute references or the oft-repeated surgeon general's warning -- the film flows smoothly from scene to scene. None of the well known names disrupt the blend and yet the spread is wide enough to grant a few glowing crests and assign a couple of dragging troughs to everyone. It's hard not to be pulled into the settings; you forget you're watching a film until that rude vignette knocks you out of your seat and forces you to resettle. The times that you do find yourself lapsing out, there are always interesting props or perspectives to focus on. The alternative, skipping scenes, on the DVD, will, I think, detract from the viewing experience and it's not the sort of film you could watch too often either; predictability, like the title, will kill.