Jackie Brown (1997)

Jackie Brown. Oh, let me count the ways in which I used to love you. Once upon a time, in Winchester, I used to be a Tarantino junkie. If he was remaking Shakespeare, I would be first in line. Pulp Fiction used to be the ultimate cinematic experience for me. I could discover no other film that both visually and intellectually stimulated my mind. Tarantino was a genius in my eyes. When I first watched Jackie Brown, I knew I had to own it. It was another chapter in the Tarantino - and I was ready for it.


Fast forward from 1997 to now - 2009, nearly 12 years since its release, and I found it within my cannon of films to watch again. The excitement overtook me as I prepared to rediscover Tarantino's voice again - his more humanistic approach instead of just kitch over kitch. Kill Bill has come and gone and he redefined the Grindhouse mantra, so why wouldn't Jackie Brown continue to impress.

Then I watched it.


Five nights. That is the amount of time it took me to watch this film. Twelve years did not do well for this little film. Quoted in several of my books as Tarantino's best film, I found my emotions ranging from anger, frustration, boredom, apathy, and an eagerness to finish this nearly three hour film. Tarantio had failed me. He had failed my youth - and he was failing me for five nights in a row. The excitement had faded, my catalogue of known cinema had grown, and this film just couldn't keep up with both classics and modern. Jackie Brown is a failure. Choppily made - lacking emotion - cliche characters - and a climax that is so convoluted that three hours felt like FIVE DAYS - and it was. Tarantino's second outing was supposed to pay homage to those films like Shaft or other blaxploitation films, but it just didn't garner the punch I remembered. To begin, the characters were dull and void of excitement. No surprise this came out the same year as the paunchy LA Confidential, a dismal year for Hollywood. Sam Jackson plays ... wait for it ... Sam Jackson. Yelling and screaming he conveys nothing new to the screen. He is himself, and it didn't fit in this world. The same could be said for Bridget Fonda, Pam Grier, and Michael Keaton - our other headliners of this film. Tarantino's excitement had faded, these actors could not save this film from age.


Now, that isn't to say that there were some stand out performances. Robert DeNiro was the only breath of fresh air in this film. When he was on screen, I was impressed with his transformation into a character that I hadn't seen him do before. He was gruff and lost, a perfect addition to the ensuing chaos that Tarantio allowed within the remaining characters. Also, I have a bit of a soft spot for Robert Forester, who was gentle enough to be this random bail bondsman falling in love for the last - or first - time. These two did it, while the rest I can successfully say, failed.


Being in the minority, I am not a fan of Elmore Leonard's film adaptations. Get Shorty and Be Cool were failures when I watched them, and while I do have faith for Out of Sight, it was the direction in that film that ultiamtly trumped the film. So, seeing again that it was based on a Leonard story, my heart fell. It was too complicated for Tarantino, which is very surprising. As a director I would have shown the audience how the take was going to happen, instead of allowing Grier to do all the talking. It felt boring and repetitive. Where were the kitchy Tarantino tricks? Twelve years ago I liked the change, but today - I need him to remain the way he is. Fast edits and exciting language - Jackie Brown had none of these.


Countering the story was the music. Recently having watched Across 110th Street, I was excited to see Tarantino use the music to bookend this story. It worked to convey Grier's character, but that was it. 110th Street was such a powerful film about race and corruption, that by using the song - I thought the film should cover that a bit further. Grier singing at the final moments somewhat defined this idea, but it wasn't completed. It felt as if Tarantino had several quality moments, but failed to express them fully. His excitement seemed to fade with his characters. The illustrious "Jackie Brown" into the door speaker seemed forced and oddly edited. That felt on par with the remainder of the film.

Found in my "Defining Moments in Movies" book, Jackie Brown alas, fails to maintain its integrity. It was a film I fawned over, in fact, I even pre-ordered the DVD when it was announced, yet today I am ready to clean my hands of this project. Tarantino still has the ability, he is growing each time I watch his films. Alas, it saddens me to say this, but this film gets the illustrious yellow highlight with black mark. Never to be watched again. No film should take FIVE DAYS - no film.