Tarantino's Underrated Gem

Normally when we think of Quentin Tarantino's film library people usually mention the obvious. Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, or the Kill Bill series. Which I mean let's face it, for most that is likely considered the holy trinity of Tarantino movies which are all cult classics respectively.

It's something about this one though serving as the third entry for Tarantino as a director. Let's unlock the brilliance and "Five Reasons Why" Jackie Brown is Quentin Tarantino's silent juggernaut.

5.) Style

Too much sauce to store in one bottle. We can start with the directing style of Tarantino as this one stands alone in a unique way. There's a level of maturity that separates Jackie Brown from the other films of his starting with the tone.

Although Tarantino stays within the crime genre which focuses on everyday underbelly situations. A good amount of his films have an extreme violent style that is entertaining to movie goers. Everyone can admit his signature style is highly enjoyable!

Jackie Brown is a lot more grounded with a retro seventies feel and modern nineties contemporary filmmaking techniques. You can almost feel Tarantino's directions through the camera delivered through practical visuals from Director of Photography Guillermo Navarro. The camera angles and movements glide organically with every character effortlessly giving the film a pulse that keeps the heart pumping.

4.) Soundtrack

Remember those days? Of course only so many of you do but there was a time when movie soundtracks was a big deal. Quentin Tarantino sets the tone from the start during the title sequence as he pays homage to The Graduate (1967) with the wide extended dolly shot through the airport.

Sets everything off right as Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street" breezes in smoothly to establish what kind of ride the audience is in for. It doesn't stop there either.

The soundtrack also shares the talented likes of The Brothers Johnson, Minnie Riperton, The Delfonics, and others. Here's that memorable opening title sequence that never gets old.

3.) Casting Pam Gier

Jackie Brown could have easily gone the typical Hollywood route and casted a younger "A-List" actor at the time but it wouldn't have felt proper. Pam Grier dominated the 70s blaxploitation era, highlighting specifically for Foxy Brown (1974) and Coffee (1973).

With most of Grier's better film years behind her and searching for something fresh for that time, it had to take an auteur like Tarantino who saw the vision clearly and understands that the best actors age better over time. Pam Grier not only carries the film as the title character but also steals every scene of screen time with her natural presence.

She's authentically convincing as a middle-aged black woman stewardess who smuggles. A character dedicated to not going backwards in life.

2.) Story

An adaptation based off a novel by Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch (1992), Tarantino does some of his biggest flexing as a writer by really taking his time to tell a straight forward crime tale that allows the characters to breathe.

As the story builds throughout you truly witness a cinematic experience. This is a well crafted and lean story you can pick up on right away and stay locked in until the ending credits. We can address the elephant in the room of his signature realist dialogue although this doesn't attempt to be clever and witty but rather direct and natural. The agenda for every character is displayed clearly which leads to our final point...

1.) Cast

We've already went over the demanding aura of Pam Grier, but we can on forever about the unstoppable force this film is due to some of the Hollywood greats! From Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Michael Keaton, and Robert Forster. Hell even Chris Tucker has a significant role along with his Friday (1995) co-star Tiny Lister Jr (may he rest in peace). Jackie Brown is not only an entertaining acting clinic but one helluva soul as these giants pump nonstop energy through the eyes of 35mm. This is what cinema is all about!

"My ass may be dumb, but I ain't no dumbass."

Samuel L. Jackson as Ordell Robbie.