Light and weaker than Quentin Tarantino's other works

Rating: 5/10 (23 May 2016)

When many hear the name Quentin Tarantino, odds are they are thinking of something of a masterpiece or at least something close to such. It's very difficult to deny this director has a God-given talent in filmmaking and storytelling, and the accolades he's achieved in his past twenty years of his career. This is not to say he's immune to some duds. Though his director has not yet been subject to any cinematic failures, a few of his works have proved to be less memorable and more shallow than others. Jackie Brown, a film following the success of the highly acclaimed masterpiece 'Pulp Fiction', feels less of Tarantino's style and much less excitement than his other works. Pam Grier plays the titular character, a middle-aged flight attendant who's tasked by arms dealer Ordell Robbie (played by Samuel L. Jackson) to smuggle $10,000,000 from Mexico to Los Angeles. When she's unexpectedly caught and arrested by two FBI agents (played by Michael Keaton and Michael Bowen) in attempt to smuggle a million dollars worth of cocaine in her purse, she is sentenced to prison but is ultimately released when she makes a deal with the agents to capture and arrest Ordell. Upon learning of Ordell's sinister plot, Jackie acquires the help of business fund manager Max Cherry (played by Robert Forster) to steal $1,000,000 from Ordell.
Quentin Tarantino follows relatively the same style of filmmaking similar to his other works including the non-linear storytelling and interconnected story lines but manages to cut back on the over-the-top graphic violence that he's often known for, watering it down what feels like PG level in comparison. The film offers a plot that pays homages to 70s blaxploitation flicks. While there is plenty of substance to be experienced, the plot supplements little excitement and conveys at an unnecessarily slow pace, clocking at a 152 runtime that feels more like three hours. Without any sort of suspense or thrills to offer, the plot conceives a rather lack of tension. Quentin Tarantino is known for generating some of the most clever stories on film, particularly what we brought to 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Pulp Fiction'. Unfortunately, much of the excitement conceived in those films is abandoned here. Luckily, there are a few twists and surprises sprinkled throughout that at least present some redeeming quality. The aspect in which the film greatly succeeds however, is building up strong character development along with some talented acting from an above-average cast. Pam Grief shows off an convince vibe as Jackie Brown. It may stand inside the Oscar range but there's no denying her performance shines. Samuel L. Jackson, returning to the Tarantino fare from 'Pulp Fiction' is good as ever, adopting his typical boldface personality. Robert Forster also comes off as impressive with his performance. The biggest disappointment though, is Robert De Niro who plays Samuel L. Jackson's sidekick and is decidedly underused for what could have been a compelling role for an actor like him.
Jackie Brown doesn't quite scale the ladder like Quentin Tarantino's other films but there is some smarts to be experienced in what is a worthy effort by Tarantino, even if it doesn't succeed at a narrative scale. Those who are Tarantino fans are recommended to watch this, everyone else though will most likely to left with a shortage of entertainment.