Tarantino's third film

Rating: 9/10 (13 May 2016)

Gun dealer Ordell Robbie has half a million dollars; the problem is that the money is in Mexico and he needs it moved to Los Angeles. To this end stewardess Jackie Brown is bringing it in $50,000 at a time; all is going well until she is arrested with the money and a small quantity of cocaine. Ordell goes to bail bondsman Max Cherry and gets her out of jail if he is to use her to get the rest of the money out of Mexico the police will have to let Jackie return to work. To persuade them she tells them that she will help them get Ordell is she playing them, Ordell or both?.
This, Quentin Tarantino's third film, feels different to his others despite the familiar themes; this is probably because it is based on a book by Elmore Leonard rather than being an original story. This is not a problem though; it is the sort of film Tarantino's fans should enjoy but also one that can be enjoyed by those who are less keen on his other works. The story manages to be tense and at times shocking but it also has moments of humour. The cast does a fine job; Pam Greer is great as the eponymous Jackie Brown and Samuel Jackson is equally good as Ordell; a character who is more likable than one might expect given that he is a murderer and a gun smuggler. They are ably supported by a cast that includes Robert De Nero, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton and Robert Forster. Overall I'd say this is well worth watching; assuming you aren't put off by the amount of swearing.