"Jackie Brown"
by: Paolo Sardinas

The 70's were filled with fun, excitement, and uncertainty. Uncertainty of the world that seemed like it was always changing. Of course whenever times are good, bad, or just plain fun, there are always excellent movies that are made. The 70's were filled with them. One of the most iconic films of the 70's was "Shaft". The classic film is often considered as the pinnacle of "Blaxploitation" and an icon. "Jackie Brown", Tarantino's third flick, attempts to bring back the style and class of the good old days. And yes, it does succeed.

The story/script are filled with tons of great dialogue, as always, the story follows more than one character, another trademark of Tarantino's. The film is set in Los Angeles and follows Mexican air flight stewardess Jackie Brown(Pam Grier) who is able to smuggle money in and out of the country for her "friend" Ordell Robbie(Samuel L Jackson). Ordell is an arms dealer. When Jackie is caught with $50,000 and a bag of cocaine, she devises a plan to not only get Ordell arrested and charged, but to walk off. With the money. Along the way we meet an array of characters including Ordell's friend Luis Gara, and ex con, also we meet one of Ordell's girlfriends Melanie(Bridget Fonda). Robert Forster also jumps in as bail-bondsman Max Cherry, the guy who gets Jackie out of a night in prison and eventually develops an attraction to her. The story plays out great, even when they do the money exchange and it gets all confusing, it still is a joy to watch.

The performances are an absolute thrill to watch. Samuel L Jackson gives a pitch perfect performance, a man with a fondness of using the "N-word" on a regular basis. Pam Grier also shines in her role as the titular character. With this performance she was able to actually re-create her career, and since then hasn't done squat. Both Robert Forster and Robert De Niro turn in some excellent performances, not to mention it's probably the last time De Niro actually tried to act. OR at least looked like it. Bridget Fonda, inheriting her father's skills, also does a great job as the sexy yet somewhat annoying "blonde surfer girl".

Overall, Tarantino's third flick is a fun movie to watch. Perfect for those weekends when you don't have much to do, but still need something to do. The film is both fun, inventive, and original. Even though the drop off might take a few viewings to actually understand what the hell just happened, the movie is nonetheless captivating. A job well done by its director and actors. Working his movie magic Tarantinos crafted one of his better films to date, a perfect homage to the 70's, or in other words.."Groovy." Grade: A-