Jackie Brown directed by Quentin Tarantino – A Film Review

Following on from his widely successful film Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997) based on the Elmore Leonard’s 1992 novel Rum Punch was a certainly a more subtle than Tarantino’s previous works. The film starring 70s Blaxploitation star Pam Grier, is a crime genre film that at it’s heart, questions the subject of middle age and the troubles that can come with it.

Jackie (Grier) is an airhostess who has just been caught smuggling in money for Ordell (Samuel Jackson) a gun smuggler wanted by the police. In order to skip prison time, she is advised by the officers interviewing her to set up her boss. Agreeing to do this, Jackie sets into motion a plan that will lead to her eventually getting one over on everyone and stealing Ordell’s money during the process of a sting operation. Intending to do so with the help of bail bondsmen Max Cherry (Robert Forster).

Although the previous summary may give the impression that the film is going to be one big lead up to a huge heist situation, this in fact never seems to be the case. Though the setup is important to the over reaching narrative, the majority of the film is in fact spent with the characters going about in more everyday situations. Even though Jackie and Max do discuss their intended plans we find out more about them as people than what they intend to do latter on. The same could be said with Ordell who is a gun pusher; yet, there is only one scene in the film where he discusses this in any real detail.

As much as the story is about a heist it is about middle age. Jackie and Max for example are unhappy with their lots in life. Both are in there forties, both single, with no children and jobs they no longer care for. They each are at a loss with their best days behind them; questioning what is next for them. In a way, their attempt to find an escape from their mundane lives leads them to each other. And in turn, this becomes one of the key developing aspects of the movie.

In contrast to this, many of the other characters in the film are defiantly trying to resist growing old. Ordell has structured for himself a group of young girls who he sleeps with on a casual basis. He’s able to do so because he provides for them on a financial basis and in return they feel pressured to repay him for this generosity. His reasons for doing this are simple; he does so to feel young again. In fact in one seen he prides himself on the fact that one of them is so young. But still, he fears them leaving him - later in the film; we see the young girl who he previously stated he provides for is in fact now a drug addict. While it isn’t stated that he had anything to do with her becoming an addict, it certainly does hint at this in the subtle revelation.

Another character obsessed with a past youth is the “young cop” Ray Nicolette played by Michael Keaton. The young cop struts around in a biker’s leather jacket, in interviews or in other quiet scenes it can be heard to squeak at any subtle movement. The jacket itself is a symbol of his lost youth. A trinket that reminds him both of his younger days and also stands as a hold onto the former rebellious side of his personality.

Louis Gara (Robert De Niro) also attains to youth. A crime partner to Ordell, he becomes fascinated by Melanie (Bridget Fonda) who is one of Ordell’s girls. Eventually they have sex – with him coming to orgasm in three minutes. After this though he begins to realise how different they are. Her youthful energy and constant verbal diaria begin to annoy him to the point where he lashes out against her. In a way this could be seen as him violently lashing out at his acceptance of his older age. By sleeping with her he hoped to prove his virility, however instead it has inversed him onto his own insecurities. As time went on with her their verbal interactions only reinforced the age gap between the two of them. Here his own insecurities are the problem, yet he cannot accept this. Instead he must externalise his anger, and he does this by lashing out at Melanie during an argument.

If you are to look at the narrative itself it is very well crafted and put together. Scenes blend seamlessly together as the story allows itself to have a nice slow build. Towards the last hour the film may feel to some that it is slowing slightly, but for those who are patient the build up is suitably paid off towards the end.

Presentation wise the film is all class. The key actors all give excellent performances. The direction and cinematography of the piece are also strong positives, but it’s defiantly the script and the performances that make this one standout. Of Tarantino’s works, this is arguably the best put together of his films. There is a real maturity and assuredness about the story and its presentation, which unfortunately appears to be lacking in his latter films. 

Yet, even for those not interested in the conventional Tarantino canon this film is worth a look. It’s a film that deals with getting older and questioning ones lot in life, it’s a Hollywood film that deals with character over thirty and takes them seriously! Surely, for reasons like this alone, Jackie Brown is worth a look?