I rewatched Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown today, for no other reason than that I've have it on my mind since Ja mentioned it over at My New Plaid Pants nearly a month ago.
Jackie Brown seems to be a movie that has been forgotten. It came three years after Pulp Fiction single-handedly changed the way some films are made (the aftereffects are still, scarily, visible in the many movies still aping it's style to various degrees of success). It was released, in one of those Weinstein-oddities, at Christmas time. It got lost in the shuffle and only got one lowsy Oscar nomination (Best Supporting Actor for Robert Forster). When I eventually saw it on good ol' VHS I didn't think it was as good as Pulp Fiction, but in the years since I have changed my opinion. It is better. It holds up better to repeat viewings I think in that it hasn't been copied and repeated so many times since, yet still seeing like Tarantino. It's still fresh, it still has a sting, it still has that exciting zest for thrills. It's a great great movie, and the best Tarantino has ever done.Of course the "cherry on top" (if you've seen the movie y'all know what that quote is) is Pam Grier and her stunning performance. Not that many ladies would let you get a closeup of their face just as is. She hasn't "uglified" herself, she's just a normal woman. She's a force. I love her so much as Jackie Brown. But the acting talent doesn't stop there. Samuel L Jackson is great, Robert DeNiro is actually my second favourite performance in the film - something I had certainly never seen before from him, Bridget Fonda is hilarious "Helloit'sforyou!", Robert Forster is dependable and cut from the same cloth as Grier's Jackie. And of course, Michael Keaton is wonderful too. Why did his comeback never take place? Strange.
Jackie Brown is what I wish more movies were: effortless. Even Pulp Fiction looks like it's straining at times. This one glides along on the super-coolness of it's mere being. I love this movie. A
7 comments:
WORD WORD WORD. Jackie Brown is Quentin's best movie, hands down. But then, I was never a huge Pulp Fiction fan. I mean, I appreciated it for it's style and Q's as-always perfect script, but I never loved it. (Well, the scenes with Uma are pretty golden.) But right outta the gate I fell head over heels with JB. It's prob in my top 5 movies of the 90's.
Robert Forster's actually from my hometown. I was working at the local indy movie theater in town during college when JB came out, and we had a premiere for the movie with Forster there, so I got to meet him; he was a super nice guy.
that's some jackie brown love if i've ever read some.
Ja, agreed. I really really really like Pulp Fiction, but always felt there was some stuff that just wasn't as 10/10 as a lot of the rest is.
I always have that problem with movies that have multiple stories. THere's usually one that lets the side down in the long run.
Jackie Brown on the other hand... wow. The scene at the mall with the multiple points of view? That's some crazy movie-making of the highest order.
I really dig Jackie Brown. Pam Grier is so awesome in just about everything she does. What I find really interesting about the film are the moments of normalcy that are discussed. I mean, the conversation Jackie and Robert Forster's character have about getting old while they're sitting at her kitchen table ... You just don't see that in films. The whole mall set-up is so well-crafted too.
Exactly! And how about there scene that involves Samuel L Jackson just sitting there... thinking. Like, characters don't think in movies. They just do and go on there way, but here they need to think and work stuff out. So good.
Definitelt one of my preferred QT films. Grier is the epitome of cool in it.
You got me to rewatch this movie over the weekend, Glenn. God I just sit there with the biggest grin on my face from start to finish with this thing. For some reason, watching it this time I found myself really paying attention to Robert DeNiro, and it struck me - is this the last time this man has acted? Like, created a character that's not Robert DeNiro? He's really very good here, totally scary in a benign sort-of-useless way.
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