I like how imperfect these people are. Max Cherry isn’t a badass gangster in a black and white suit; he’s a schlub with thinning hair. Jackie Brown isn’t a master criminal; before her big confrontation with a gun runner she practices her tough guy quick draw. Louis Gara forgets where he parked his car at the mall in the middle of a robbery. They’re just people! I think some of Tarantino’s later movies, great as they are, could use a little more of that humanness.I remember some people were disappointed that Jackie Brown wasn’t as showy or as complex as Pulp Fiction when it came out, but even if Tarantino’s choices aren’t quite as flashy here, they’re absolutely perfect. The opening credits, partly inspired by The Graduate, tell you everything you need to know about Jackie before she says a word, and scenes like the one where Ordell settles up with Beaumont are absolutely incredible. Also the film ends with one of the all-time great movie kisses. Not because it’s incredibly sexy; because it’s imperfect.
