JACKIE BROWN

The first time I saw JACKIE BROWN I was completely blown away. Blown away at how different it was from PULP FICTION. It was also impressive that I watched the movie in one seating. Unlike his previous two films, JACKIE BROWN is a slow burn. The story takes it's time, you're with these characters for the long haul.

Quentin Tarantino's 4th film KILL BILL VOL.1 was a week or two away from release, so I decided to get reacquainted and watch his movies again. And I even added some Robert Rodriguez to the mix. Night one was EL MARIACHI and RESERVOIR DOGS. The second night was PULP FICTION, DESPERADO, and FROM DUSK TIL DAWN. I skipped JACKIE BROWN because I remembered it being different than the others. But after KILL BILL VOL. 1 blew my mind, the following day I revisited the film post haste.

My mindset was perfect for watching the film again. Weeks leading up to the release of KILL BILL VOL. 1, I was reading interviews and researching everything about Tarantino's new film. I became a super fan of the director's work. And he will forever be one of my favorite filmmakers.

Being sandwiched between PULP FICTION and the KILL BILL films, I could see why JACKIE BROWN might not get the attention it deserves. It's a long movie with a lot of people talking. Which is nothing new in a Tarantino picture, but in JACKIE BROWN it's a little different.

The story is simple. A airline stewardess who is stuck in a dead end job gets caught bringing a large amount of cash over from Mexico. To avoid prison time or worse, death. Jackie Brown works on a plan to prevent either from happening.

And like a crime mystery novel, the characters move around like a game of chess for half million dollars. A story set up like this is as old as time. So that's why I think Tarantino made JACKIE BROWN more to do with the characters then the actual plot.

The character interactions are what I like best in JACKIE BROWN. You really get the feeling that you are hanging out with these characters. I have too many favorite moments to mention but I will at least share a few. This first one isn't a interaction but rather a introduction to the films title character, Jackie Brown. Brown is the first person we see in the movie. And her introduction is magnificent!

70's icon Pam Grier appears on screen powerfully. Tarantino is reminding us how cool the woman is! But then quickly the homage is over and we're now seeing Jackie. And she's doing her best not to be late for work at the airport terminal. It's an awesome scene.

The introduction of Ordell and Lewis is a classic! Talking shop on the selling of black market firearms all while watching the CHICKS WITH GUNS video. You know what scene I'm talking about! It was in all the trailers and might be one of the things most remembered about the film.

I don't think I have a favorite scene in the movie, but if I had to chose one it'd be Jackie getting bailed out of jail. Max the bail bondsman offers her a ride home. They stop at a bar (there are a lot of scenes in bars in this film, but it's okay because they are all so cool) to get a drink. The conversation starts of natural, talking about quitting smoking, how hard it is to quit, and then talking about the daily grind of a j.o.b. Then as smooth as whiskey, Max and Jackie are talking about the plot.

It's cool how hanging with these people move the story forward. At over 2 hours long the film does seem to drag in places but it's worth it.

Highly recommended!