A Different Tarentino

Rating: 8/10 (26 March 2013)

When you think of Quentin Tarentino, you think of Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained. But never, in conversation about his works, is Jackie Brown ever really discussed. It seems that Jackie Brown has always been the black sheep of Tarentino's legacy. It didn't even make a decent amount of money in its theatrical run. Surprising, because with the phenomenon of Pulp Fiction, you would think that moviegoers would line up for blocks to catch this flick on opening weekend. But we all knew he wasn't going to top what he did before. Making a movie better than Pulp Fiction is an impossible task. But thats not what Tarentino was going for. Tarentino wanted to take a break from his violent roots and prove himself as a filmmaker by making a smart, sexy crime caper along the lines of Ocean's Eleven. Not only did he meet his goal, he exceeded it. The cast is near perfect, delivering some of the best performances in any Tarentino film. Pam Grier channels her old bad-ass acting career while at the same time being who she really is, making her performance so raw and dangerously cool. Robert Forster's performance was truly moving, capturing his unrequited love for Jackie so subtly, conveying it powerfully in every shot of his time on screen. Sam Jackson is Sam Jackson as always. Bridget Fonda is absolutely steaming. All except for Robert DeNiro. I couldn't get used to him playing the blithering idiot he is on screen. It made me a little uncomfortable, considering that he is a powerhouse of an actor and this role forced him to take a huge leap backwards. But I guess, somehow, its pretty cool to see him play someone else. Whats restraining me from giving this a perfect score is the movie as a whole. It just doesn't feel like a movie directed by Quentin. His body and soul is just not present here, other than his penchant for witty dialog and an impressive soundtrack. I guess I was disappointed as much people were when the film debuted. We wanted more, we expected so much, and we were let down. Jackie Brown will always stand in the shadows of Quentin's other films, but don't let that be a reason to never see it. Watch it from beginning to end and embrace it as an excellent film, not his film.