Jackie Brown (1997)

User Review

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  Barneyonmovies

  7 / 10

  WHAT I LIKED: 'Jackie Brown,' is a very interesting movie from Quentin Tarantino, as it's easily the biggest blip on his filmography thanks to its stark stylistic differences and bold alternative approach. Yes rather than the usual flippant appeal, snappy satire and violence, this film is a slower and far more nuanced affair from the director, and the result is something very admirable that gives a lot more time to the serious development of its themes, stories and characters. This is largely successful too, as the cast are all rather good (particularly Samuel L. Jackson as the badass but layered weapons dealer) and the direction is typically well executed with great editing and all the usual references to the cinema of Tarantino's youth. In the end though it's most of all an admirable picture that seems to suggest that Tarantino was aiming to refine his vision with something more serious and considered. In other words he may have had a natural talent for the drums, but this is him picking up the violin for the first time, and doing a pretty damn good job of it too.
  WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: As is always the case with a new instrument, the performance isn't as effortless and polished as you might expect, and the film here does indeed have its issues. Yes for one it is definitely over-stuffed even if its pace is perfectly considered, and the plot is arguably given too much focus, but overall the intent is brave and the execution is mostly successful.
  VERDICT: A departure from his usual style, 'Jackie Brown,' isn't perfect, but frankly it's a shame that Tarantino didn't carry on in this vain. There really is a lot of great stuff here.

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