Jackie Brown (1997)

Director: Quetin Tarantino

Jackie Brown is a tale of a small time arms dealer, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson) who is trying to save his own butt as his cohorts get pressured by the police. Each time one of them gets arrested, Ordell uses the services of Max Cherry (Robert Forster), a bail bondsman, to get his minions out of police custody so he can off them before they open their mouth. Max Cherry knows the score and when he is assigned the task of retrieving the beautiful Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) from the authorities he offers her his help. Jackie Brown turns out to be a little more than either Ordell or the Police can handle.

This is the first film that Tarantino released after Pulp Fiction (barring his contirbution to Four Rooms), and while it doesn’t quite measure up to the standard set by Pulp Fiction, it’s still pretty good. It sports a great cast including Robert DeNiro, Chris Rock Michael Keaton, and Bridget Fonda, but the plot twists aren’t as shocking as those found in his other work. The plot line is a lot more straight foward, but the movie doesn’t drag as a result. Instead we just get a straight foward cops and robbers flick with one bad momma in the middle of it all.

Guns, the law, and Jackie:

1. According to the film a Tech 9 is “the most popular gun in American Crime.”

2. Ordell uses the bail bondsman to keep his name out of the transactions. He first gets Omar (Chris Rock) out of jail, because he “ain’t got a doin’ time disposition.” Omar is shook up after his interrogation, and Ordell tells him that it is the police’s job “to scare the shit out of you.”

3. Omar is very worried about going back to jail. Ordell tells him that they will get his lawyer who is a “junkyard dog” and would “kick Johnny Cochran’s ass.” Course he then kills Omar.

4. Jackie gets arrested for bringing in more than $10,000 cash undeclared. She says of people in customs that the “job makes them a jerk.” Ain’t tax laws a bitch.

5. Max Cherry suggests that she get a lawyer. She says she can’t afford a good lawyer, and that she got 3 months before because of a public defender.

6. The soundtrack includes a song presumably called “Long Time Woman.” Which talks about 9 years in jail being a long time.

7. There is a scene with Jackie’s bail hearing. The bail is set high and the trial is set in six weeks.

8. Max Cherry wonders if there is Bail Bondsmen/ Client confidentiality. I doubt it.

9. Jackie discusses a plea deal, but holds out on the police. She claims that Samuel told her he sold guns. It’s hearsay so they can’t use it and they have to use Jackie to get hard evidence. Twist is Jackie is using them.

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