Everything in place but the magic - 73%

Rating: 7/10 (7 November 2011)

For many years, this was the big one - the one that got away. As much as I enjoy Tarantino's movies, this one never really seemed to bother me much and so I was happy to give it a miss. I even bought it on DVD and traded it before I watched it. So using the benefits of a Sky+ box, I could finally give it a fair hearing but after all this time and given the fact that it is the follow-up to one of my favourite films of all time, could it really hope to compete?
Taking his cue from riffing off other genres, "Jackie Brown" is Tarantino's take of Seventies blaxploitation and introduces us to airline stewardess Jackie (Pam Grier), who should be doing better but finds herself increasingly held back by past mistakes. Her other source of income is running money for arms dealer Ordell (Samuel L Jackson) but things are about to take a turn for the worst. After being busted by ATF agent Nicolette (Michael Keaton), Jackie finds herself caught up in their plan to catch Ordell or face a long stretch behind bars. Trouble is, anyone double-crossing Ordell ends up dead pretty quick. But Jackie is a resourceful woman and begins making plans of her own, possibly involving her bail bondsman Max Cherry (Robert Forster)...
There is technically nothing wrong with "Jackie Brown". Performances are universally brilliant - even Chris Tucker's brief appearance isn't annoying - and almost as good as the funk and soul mix of the soundtrack featuring legends like Bobby Womack, the Delfonics and Randy Crawford. The soundtrack, you expect to be faultless in a Tarantino flick but his usual antics of playing with the chronology are kept to a strict minimum which means any who didn't get "Pulp Fiction" will not be confused by the plot here. The story, based on an Elmore Leonard novel, has the usual twists and turns but ultimately doesn't offer too much in the way of surprises which felt a little disappointing. But in truth, this is a great crime movie with brilliant performances and all to a fantastic soundtrack. What's not to like?
Well, Tarantino's films have a reputation for being close to the edge, for pushing boundaries and taking things to the extreme but "Jackie Brown" is none of this things. It feels too safe by Tarantino's standards as if he's afraid of offending anyone and as a result, it lacks the usual zing and verve of his other films. And while it keeps the Seventies vibe going, I never personally felt it was a blaxploitation tribute as strongly as "Pulp Fiction" paid homage to crime thrillers. I wanted to be gripped but I only stuck with it for fear of losing the plot. It's an easy film to admire but a difficult one to love and to be honest, I just didn't feel the magic.