Better Than Pulp!!

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 1999)

This movie is better than Pulp Fiction. Let's get that straight right now. I have seen it a number of times and it just keeps getting better. The story line is fresh, the casting perfect, camera shots are unique, and the sound bites original. Oh yea, the soundtrack is great too. Six guys commit a robbery and you don't even see it. You spend the whole movie watching the planning of the caper and the turmoil afterwards. Harvey Keitel may have given his best performance of his career and Steve Buscemi is a classic. In fact it's Buscemi's 'Mr. Pink' (there is a great line in response to his disapproval to the color pink) weasel character that I feel is the gasoline in the Reservoir Dogs engine. He represents the voice of reason and clear thinking on one point and sneaky and scheming on the other. Michael Madsen's 'Mr. Blonde' was made for him. Tim Roth 'Mr. Orange' has his ground breaking role (I can't say what as because it ruins part of the plot). Chris Penn and Lawrence Tierney are perfect as the father son mob team. What is really great about this movie is the dialog. Some of the best ever and truly original. The dialog in Reservoir Dogs flows so smoothly and naturally that it gives a more than a movie feel to it. For example the part in the bathroom with the cops standing around talking was beautiful because that is how how cops chit chat to each other about who's butt they busted or how stupid this guy was. Tarantino even had the cops talking about it with that kind of smirky ego locker room talk. That and having Roth break in and continue his description of the story right there was great. Also, the opening scene is a bona fide classic. The Madonna speech, the discussion on tipping, everything about that was great dialog. I also love the way Madsen and Keitel go back and forth at one point in the movie ("I bet you're a big Lee Marvin fan"). If you haven't seen the movie yet be prepared because it jumps around between past and present like 'Godfather 2'. But, that is also part of the genius of it. It's bloody, so if you hate violence go rent a Disney movie instead and save yourself from stopping a great movie and complaining that this is what causes violence in youths. Wrong (that's another argument I won't get into but we can't make every movie for 10 year olds and if they happen to get a hold of it where were you when they did!). Reservoir Dogs goes on the classic list. It's a top of the shelf action movie with dark comedy and great lines to boot. One word of advice to Mr. Tarantino, stop putting yourself in your movies. You are not an actor! Stick to directing where you do your best work.