Quintessential slice of pulp Americana

Rating: 9/10 (2 September 2012)

Pam Grier is magnificent as Jackie, a woman whose life has taken so many wrong turns that she's reduced to air hostessing on the most obscure route possible which is a cover for her role as a drugs-money mule (her 'boss' the psychotic Samuel L Jackson). When the cops catch her, Jackie has to choose whether to work with them, against them, or a bit of both. The enigmatic older man bail-bondsman played brilliantly, touchingly, by Robert Forster takes a shine to Pam, and is a spanner in everyone's works. De Niro and Bridget Fonda are very amusing side-bar players in this. It's true pulp in its purest form: Elmore Leonard and Quentin Tarantino are made for each other. Be prepared for violence, language, and oddball genius.