Jackie Brown (1997) Film Review

Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is a flight attendant who does some casual smuggling of cash for dodgy dude Ordell Robbie (Samuel L Jackson). Then she gets stopped by the feds, and ends up working with Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) for the big bust. Along the way, she ends up being bailed out of jail by bail bondsman Max Cherry (Robert Forster), a man contemplating his future. And there’s also recently released from prison dodgy dude Louis Gara (Robert De Niro) and Robbie’s white girlfriend (to differentiate her from the others), Melanie (Bridget Fonda).

It’s okay. No, it is far better than okay, but it’s not super amazing. It has many of the things we expect from Tarantino – playing with time, a kick-arse soundtrack, a bunch of great actors and violence. But it just didn’t quite do it for me. It seemed… shallow. I think it was that, apart from Max Cherry, we don’t really see more than a façade for any of the characters; we don’t really get what they are about. Even Jackie Brown just comes across as a stylish woman who wants more.

Jackie Brown was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Robert Forster)

Get Shorty vs Get Shorty (1995) Film Review, Book Review

Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard

Chili Palmer is a loan shark who is not the lowest on the ladder, but has no ambitions to be up top. After a series of events send him to Hollywood, his interest in the movies leads him to Harry Zimm, a producer of horror films who has had some success, but now is financially having some problems. But Chili’s past is not prepared to let go, and he will need to be alert to prevent his own demise.

It’s a fun read, but you need to be alert to keep all the strands in play; to remember who is doing what and why, and to try to predict what will happen next. Most of the characters are pretty flawed, yet it is only the really bad guys that you don’t like. I’ve not read a lot of Elmore Leonard, but after this I will be seeking more out.

Get Shorty (1995) Film Review

This is one of those films that is pretty much the same as the book, almost scene for scene – and it really works. It captures the story beautifully, and with a slick style that suits Chilli Palmer (John Travolta) to a t. With a cast including Rene Russo, Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina, Delroy Lindo and James Gandolfini and a script that takes the mickey out of Hollywood all the way, how can you go wrong?