Review of Jackie Brown

I've never been a big fan of Mr. Tarantino's movies, but when I viewed Jackie Brown I was smitten. I've been watching movies since talkies were in their infancy, through all the westerns and detective movies that kids like to "grown up" films, and I believe I've seen most of the best ones. But Jackie Brown is a film that has it all. Adapted from the Elmore Leonard novel, Mr. Tarantino has developed it into a sparkling tale featuring characters that are at once likeable and detestable. I don't want to go into the plot because it may reveal too much, and I'd rather talk about the characters. Samuel L. Jackson as Ordell Robbie is a casual, fun-loving guy who deals in illegal arms. He's all that but at the same time as ruthless as any mobster we've ever seen on the screen. Bridget Fonda is perfect as Melanie, an addicted bit of eye-candy who lounges about the house keeping Mr. Jackson company and doing little things such as answer the phone or bring him a drink. Robert De Niro in one of his finest performances is dull ex-con Louis Gara. He's just out of prison. Mr. Jackson allows to stay with him for a while mostly for the extra company. Mr. De Niro doesn't have to say or do much to show us he's dull, possible has a fried brain from drugs. It shows in his eyes. They're dull and we know he's now quite all here. What we don't at first know is that he has a very short fuse. That's probably why he was in prison. Tiny Lister doesn't actually do much. He finds people for Max Cherry. If we skipped bail we wouldn't want him to come after us. We can see in his posture that he's serious. Robert Forster is Max Cherry, a bail bondsman who's tired, getting old and just wants to retire. But when the phone rings, he's all business. Michael Keaton stands out as a jaunty agent who's out to get Mr. Jackson but the real star that puts this film over the top is Pam Grier. She's Jackie Brown, a middle-aged single woman working for a second-rate airline. She just wants to get enough money together for the future. Flying out of the country enables her to pick up gun money to bring to Mr. Jackson. Everyone in this ensemble cast is so perfect and some of the scenes are at once a jolt, yet at the same time inevitable, that one viewing is simply not enough. Nor are two. This is an amazing of artful direction.