Jackie Brown is considered by many (myself included) to be one of Quentin Tarantino's best films and also one of his most under-appreciated. There's love for it but it isn't met with the same reverence as Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, or the same enthusiasm as his genre homages that followed. But it should be more widely praised as it's an exceptional movie. The direction is wonderful, the soundtrack is fun, and the script is full of memorable dialogue, as you would expect from Tarantino. The cast is terrific, led by '70s legend Pam Grier in her "comeback" role and Robert Forster in an understated performance that deservedly earned him an Oscar nomination. Every scene with Grier and Forster, separately or together, is a treat. As fun as Sam Jackson is, these two are what hold the film together and make it so enjoyable to watch over and over. For his part, Jackson does what you expect him to do. He's foul-mouthed and funny but still very menacing when he needs to be. Robert DeNiro and Bridget Fonda both offer amusing support. Chris Tucker has a brief but funny appearance. The movie has a lot of humor. That's one of the main things that makes it so enjoyable to watch over and over. It's a great film that probably holds more appeal to non-Tarantino fans than most of his movies do.

Coming as it did after critical darlings "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction", it's perhaps not surprising that Quentin Tarantino's next film failed to - at the time - scale those giddy heights. Yet on reflection these days, when viewing Tarantino's career over twenty years later, it's one of his tightest works.

Working from master pulper Elmore Leonard's novel "Rum Punch", Tarantino had a concrete base from which to build on, which he does with aplomb. Cleaving close to the spirit of Leonard, "Jackie Brown" is rich with glorious chatter, each conversation either pings with a biting hard ass edge, or alternatively deconstructing the vagaries of the human condition.

Oh for sure this is a talky pic, but nothing is ever twee or pointless, for it's a film that pays rich rewards to those prepared to fully grasp the characters on show, to be aware that all is building towards the final third. It's then here where the story brings about its stings, with a complex operation cloaked in double crosses and evasive captures, of violence and more...

There's a wonderful portion of the story that sees Tarantino play the same sequence out from different character perspectives, but this is not self indulgency. Tarantino reins himself in, not letting stylisations detract from the characters we are so heavily involved with. His other triumph is bringing Pam Grier and Robert Forster to the fore, who both deliver terrific performances. It's through these pair, with their deft characterisations, where Jackie Brown is most poignant and purposeful.

Is it a case of "Jackie Brown" being undervalued in Tarantino's armoury? Perhaps it is? For it's ageless, holding up as a piece of intelligent work of note, and well worth revisiting by anyone who hasn't seen it since it was first released. 9/10

What a film! Amazing ensemble, serpentine plot, all based on an Elmore Leonard novel. I enjoyed the film when it first came out but I didn't appreciate its complexity and the caliber of its acting as I did when I saw it the other day.

A tired airline stewardess (Pam Grier as the eponymous character) sees a slim window through which she could escape to a more leisurely life. However, she will have to steal money from a nasty small-time arms dealer and convince the Feds she is trying to help them get the dealer. Can she make it work? On her side is bail bondsman Max Cherry (Robert Forster) who, we think, might want to squeeze out that window with her.

However, she has to outwit the venal Ordell Robbie (Sam Jackson) who we see is not the nicest guy in the world. Robbie is assisted by the dim-witted pothead ex-con Louis (Robert DeNiro) and his possibly-smarter-than-she-looks snow bunny Melanie (Bridge Fonda).

On the other is the law, in the person of Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen) and Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton). She has to convince the Feds she is complying with the terms of her agreement with them and she has to convince Ordell that she is not scamming him. It's a hell of a balance. Can she do it?

Great music, typically a-bit-too-clever dialogue as one might expect from Tarantino. Tarantino features LA's grittiness in a way that those of us Angelenos who know that the Southland isn't all Beverly Hills and Hollywood really appreciate. The acting is fantastic. You've never seen Robert DeNiro act like this. He's dopey with a lot of repressed anger. DeNiro gets the essence of a conflicted ex-con. Robert Forster is competent and confident. The chemistry he has with Grier is smoldering. Sam Jackson eats up the screen in his scenes. It's like shooting fish in a barrel for him.

Pam Grier is phenomenal as Jackie Brown. You don't know just how honest Jackie is but you have sympathy for her from the get-go. Grier makes her gorgeous, smart, hard-working, sexy, confident, and diligent. It really is a shame that she hasn't had another role even APPROACHING one of this richness. It truly is a great role though and Pam Grier delivers in spades.