Jackie Brown Film Review

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Rated R for strong language, some violence, drug use and sexuality

Starring: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster

Jackie Brown is often said to be director Quentin Tarantino’s most mature film due to the film not having Tarantino’s trademarks. The film doesn’t have a nonlinear story line, pop culture heavy dialogue, or even strong, bloody violence. But without those signature trademarks, Jackie Brown is an essential Tarantino film and continues to be one of his best films.

Jackie Brown stars Pam Grier, as the titular character, as an airline stewardess who is caught smuggling drugs and money over the border. In an effort to not get jail time, she works with two ATF agents (played by Michael Keaton and Michael Bowen), but at the same time works with her boss (played by Samuel L. Jackson) in a complicated double cross scheme.

What works best in Jackie Brown is the strong performances given by the A list cast. Pam Grier plays a tired stewardess who is trying to one up the people she is supposed to be working with. Her facial expressions in various scenes show how Jackie is feeling in that scene. In one of my favorite scenes, Jackie is in a dressing room and quietly stares at herself in the mirror before doing a money exchange. That scene is short and very brief, but its brilliant as we can tell what Jackie is thinking and feeling by just one look at herself in the mirror.

In addition to Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, who often collaborates with Tarantino, does an excellent job. He plays a villainous role, a type of role that Jackson doesn’t play too much. He’s terrifying and funny at the same time as the role of Ordell who is just trying to get his money from Mexico. One of Ordell’s friend is Louis (played by Robert De Niro), an ex convict who is quiet and dimwitted. It was a pleasure to see De Niro in a supporting role as a character he almost never plays. It is certainly a breath of fresh air to see De Niro take on a different character that does bring out a chuckle out of me, whether it is intentional or accidental. Finally Robert Forester plays Max Cherry, a bail bondsman who helps Jackie in her complicated scheme. The late actor brilliantly plays a character who is tired of being a bail bondsman and is trying to find something new in his life. I suspect that Cherry would normally not go along with this type of scheme, but would do it for Brown, who he secretly has a thing for.

In re watching Jackie Brown, it is shocking how fast paced the film goes, considering it is more than two and a half hours long. The film never gets dull or slow, this is due to its writer Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino is a writer known for writing dialogue and he certainly delivers with Jackie Brown. He also delivers a strong soundtrack to accompany the film. Tarantino is also known for perfectly placing fine music in his films and this one has the likes of The Delfonics, Johnny Cash, and The Supremes. With musical acts like those placed in your film, it is no wonder the film smoothly flows without any scenes dragging.

Watching Jackie Brown made me rethink the film as a whole. Many fans of Tarantino would normally rank this film low on their list because its not an iconic Tarantino film like Pulp Fiction or Inglorious Basterds is. But Jackie Brown is certainly one of Tarantino’s finest works and certainly deserves to be ranked high in the Tarantino filmography.

4/4

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Film Review

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

Rated R for language throughout, some strong graphic violence, drug use, and sexual references

In the early part of writer and director Quentin Tarantino’s career, his films were crime dramas based in Los Angeles, with such films such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Jackie Brown”. Fast forward to his latter half to his career, his films were historical dramas such as “Inglorious Basterds” and “Django Unchained”. The new Tarantino film takes something from his early part of his career and incorporates it with the historical dramas that he has been making this past decade. The result is “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, a historical crime drama based in Los Angeles.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is the newest Quentin Tarantino film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, an fading actor who is trying to find his footing in late 60’s Hollywood. Along with the ride with Dalton is Cliff Booth (played by Brad Pitt), Dalton’s stunt double who is supportive of his friend and boss. In addition to Dalton and Booth trying to find their place in Hollywood, Dalton’s new neighbor is director Roman Polanski and actress Sharon Tate (played by Margot Robbie).

Anyone who is familiar with Hollywood history knows the story of Sharon Tate and the Charles Manson cult. Going into the film, I was worried that the film would show the real events in a gory fashion. Fortunately none of the real events were actually showed and the film is not a real historical drama. The film shows more of an alternative timeline of history, the same way “Inglorious Basterds” was an alternative historical timeline. This also ties into the the ending of the film which, without giving any spoilers, is very satisfying and surprising to say the least.

But the real highlight of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” are the main leads of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. I am unaware if DiCaprio and Pitt are friends in real life but the pair have great chemistry. The film introduces them as working together for years and I felt that connection through the film. It is as almost DiCaprio and Pitt have been friends and worked in films together for many years. If anything is taken away from the film is that I want DiCaprio and Pitt to work together more often. Every time both actors were on screen, it felt like two actual friends talking among each other.

The acting is top notch but specifically Leonardo DiCaprio proves why he is one the greatest actors of his generation. There is a scene where DiCaprio has to act as a cowboy. But DiCaprio has to act as an actor acting as an actor. This is has to be difficult for an actor to act an actor who is acting as another character. In this scene, DiCaprio is playing the cowboy but has to break character back to Dalton to remember his lines. He would have to instantly change back to his other character. This is all done in one take, it takes a great actor to act as an actor who is playing another character and having to change characters in an instant.

But as much as I had fun with “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, there are still issues I had with the film. Unfortunately the pacing is slow even for a Tarantino film. Tarantino is known for having two and a half hour films filled with long and drawn out scenes but there was something about this film that felt off. Tarantino’s previous film, “The Hateful Eight” has multiple scenes of long, drawn out scenes but I actually enjoyed every second of that film. The reason being is because I know there is tension coming soon. The tension of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is the knowing that the Manson murders are coming but it’s not really tension. The reason being is that Sharon Tate doesn’t really interact with our main characters. She is more in the background and is brought back for a scenes to remind the audience that the film is centered around the Manson murders. Compare this to “The Hateful Eight” in which we know all the characters are in danger due to the tension. But in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, the only character that is in danger is Sharon Tate, who is more of a background character and not a main character.

Another issue is that the film does not go anywhere. The main plot is that an actor and his stunt double are trying to find their place at the end of the Golden Age of Hollywood. But as the audience views the film, there is not an end goal. If one were to view the film without knowing who is behind the camera or knowing who is Sharon Tate or Charles Manson, that person would be asking “where is this leading to?” I wouldn’t blame them because the majority of the film is an actor trying to act. This is something I worry about as I feel as the majority of the audience would probably be tuned off for a major portion of the film.

Overall, I had so much enjoyment of the film, but that is coming from a Tarantino fan. If you are a Tarantino fan, you should check it out but for the average viewer they may want to reconsider. Not because it is a bad film but because the film would feel long and boring to the average viewer. I would probably would view the film again but unfortunately the film falls into the lower half of the Tarantino filmography, but there is still enjoyment to be had in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”.

3/4

Pulp Fiction Film Review

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson, Uma Thurman

Rated R for strong graphic violence and drug use, pervasive strong language and some sexuality

What could be said about a universally beloved classic film that hasn’t been said before? Pulp Fiction is indeed a classic film because it is a film that still holds up 25 years later. The snappy dialogue, the funny moments, the relateable anti-heroes are aspects that makes Pulp Fiction a film that is still remembered to this day, all thanks to writer and director Quentin Tarantino.

Pulp Fiction tells a non linear story of two hitmen, a washed up boxer, a wife of a crime boss, and a couple robbing a dinner. It a sense, it shows “a day in the life” of these characters we meet on screen but the story is not told in chronological order. This aspect is what is remembered from the film and deservedly so got praise for this. This influenced other films that followed Pulp Fiction to tell a story nonlinear.

But the highlight of the film comes from writer and director Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino was coming off fresh from his debut, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction was his sophomore effort. It is still impressive that a film like Pulp Fiction was well written coming from a director who had only directed one film prior. Pulp Fiction would turn Tarantino into a household name and becoming a director to watch with all of his following successors.

Pulp Fiction is a dialogue driven film that is still remembered to this day. There are many scenes that feature several minutes of dialogue, yet the film does not feel like its dragging because of it. The first act features two hitmen Jules( Samuel L Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) walking to an apartment with a job to do. The moment both Jules and Vincent exit their vehicles and enter the apartment, we see the two characters have a conversation about foot massages, of all things. Most writers would have skipped the walk from the vehicle to the apartment and gotten straight to the action, but Tarantino is a writer that can make the dialogue work.

All of the acting is top notch as well. Travolta is the main star in Pulp Fiction, who has the most screen time in the film. His presence shines in the film, playing a drug using hitmen and he makes it work. We also get Samuel L Jackson in his most remembered role in his career and it also skyrocketed his profile and for good reason. When people think back to Pulp Fiction, most will think of the two most iconic characters of the 90’s Travolta and Jackson as Vincent and Jules, respectively. We also get Bruce Willis, who had mostly been in action films prior. His turn as a washed up boxer is a welcome change from a hero who is saving the day to a man who is in over his head.

Although the film is near perfect, it is not without its fault. The scenes that feature Bruce Willis and Maria de Medeiros are a bit slow but entertaining at the least. But when Willis goes off to retrieve his father’s watch, it starts to pick up. Nonetheless, Pulp Fiction is a must see movie as it is still has influences to this day. Reading a review of how excellent the film is does not do it justice. Pulp Fiction is indeed a timeless, classic film that stand the test of time.

4/4