Jackie Brown | Rotten Tomatoes

Jackie Brown

R

Released Dec 25, 1997

2 hr. 35 min.

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

88%

96 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When flight attendant Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is busted smuggling money for her arms dealer boss, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson), agent Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) and detective Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen) want her help to bring down Robbie. Facing jail time for her silence or death for her cooperation, Brown decides instead to double-cross both parties and make off with the smuggled money. Meanwhile, she enlists the help of bondsman Max Cherry (Robert Forster), a man who loves her.

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Critics Consensus

Although somewhat lackadaisical in pace, Jackie Brown proves to be an effective star-vehicle for Pam Grier while offering the usual Tarantino wit and charm.

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Michael V

Six players on the trail of a half million in cash. There's only one question... Who's playing who? Jackie Brown is a 1997 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino 💰 Meh, it passed the time. Sort of. 😕 While there are moments of brilliance here along with some memorable scenes, this movie is overly complex and too long with some scenes dragging… Jackie Brown is a flight attendant who gets caught in the middle of smuggling cash into the country for her gunrunner boss. When the cops try to use Jackie to get to her boss, she hatches a plan — with help from a bail bondsman — to keep the money for herself.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/04/24

Full Review

Hadrian M

Quentin's best film. Everyone is amazing in it and a fantastically directed thriller.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/25/24

Full Review

Honest D

The best Tarantino film. This is coming from someone who really likes a couple of his films a lot but is not a huge fan of him over all. I think part of the reason I like this film so much is because it's differences to his other movies. If you are thinking about watching any of his films but are not sure that you want to see something as violent and edgy as Reservoir Dogs or Pulp (or especially one of his lesser films like Death Proof etc.) Then watch this. Pamela Grier Shines! I won't pretend that I've seen many of her movies but out of the ones I have im inclined to say this is her best. There is so much rewatchabillity with this movie. It's one of the few movies in existence that I have seen more than twice and can say with confidence that unless the world ends or I end I will most likely see a couple more times. Harvey Keitel is in top form here too. This is one of his all time performances. Really you could say this about all the actors. De Niro and Samuel Jackson as well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/24

Full Review

J M

Tarantino is obviously one of the most consistently fascinating filmmakers of the past few decades. I would imagine that even his detractors have to concede a certain level of prowess and love of cinema that is undeniable in his craft. For me, JACKIE BROWN is his crowning achievement, with the KILL BILL movies being a close runner-up. This film encapsulates all the great characteristics of Tarantino as a moviemaker, and the screenplay which he co-wrote with Roger Avary is one of the best adaptations ever. (It is based on the 1992 novel RUM PUNCH by Elmore Leonard.) The dialogue here just sings, it crackles. I love the pulpiness of it, the way it takes an intricate plot that could easily have been used in a 1940s noir film and gives it a modern sensibility. Samuel L. Jackson frankly scares me to death in this movie - it is his finest screen performance. Pam Grier and Robert Forster make for a surprisingly engaging duo, and they add a humanity and a core decency that is missing in some of Tarantino's other films. This will always be for me not only the overlooked, underrated gem in Quentin Tarantino's oeuvre, but one of my favorite films of the 1990s.- Jeff Marshall, Movie Blogger (Facebook)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/11/24

Full Review

Slightly G

Great dialogues, storyline, and an atmosphere. Good job of capturing 1970s/1980s vibes. The ending could be better though.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/24

Full Review

Sam L

Slow movie with no action. Characters aren't bad good music

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/15/24

Full Review

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Quentin Tarantino

Director

Pam Grier

Jackie Brown

Samuel L. Jackson

Ordell Robbie

Robert Forster

Max Cherry

Bridget Fonda

Melanie Ralston

Michael Keaton

Ray Nicolette

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - A Gun Pressed Up Against My Dick

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - Fitting Room Exchange

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - Ray's Interrogation

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - The Delfonics

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - Melanie Provokes Louis

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - I'm Home, I'm High

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - You Shot Melanie?

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - I'll Send You a Postcard

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - Three Minutes Later

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Jackie Brown: Official Clip - One Dirty Ass Trunk

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

... A beautifully modulated portrait of the limits and the last resorts of middle age.

Dec 4, 2023

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Maybe posterity will crown Jackie Brown as his best film and maybe not. Either way it shows that mainstream plotting and noir romance are yet more movie styles that Tarantino can fabricate: brilliantly.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 15, 2022

Full Review

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

A twisty comedy of betrayal and greed.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 4, 2019

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Even though this film pushes past two-and-a-half hours, the forward direction of the plot keeps things moving with minimal repeat. This movie exudes coolness on every level.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 4, 2023

Full Review

John Brhel

Vague Visages

While Jackie Brown does revel in nostalgia and feature its fair share of firearms, it’s a much more subdued, nuanced and mature film than any of Tarantino’s previous works, or any other production within his entire filmography.

Jun 5, 2023

Full Review

Brian Rowe

InSession Film

Jackie Brown is an outstanding drama, and is the film I believe to be Quentin Tarantino’s most lasting masterpiece.

May 3, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

When flight attendant Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is busted smuggling money for her arms dealer boss, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson), agent Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) and detective Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen) want her help to bring down Robbie. Facing jail time for her silence or death for her cooperation, Brown decides instead to double-cross both parties and make off with the smuggled money. Meanwhile, she enlists the help of bondsman Max Cherry (Robert Forster), a man who loves her.

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Executive Producer: Richard N. Gladstein, Elmore Leonard, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein
Screenwriter: Elmore Leonard, Quentin Tarantino
Distributor: Miramax Films, Buena Vista International [us]
Production Co: Mighty Mighty Afrodite Productions, Miramax Films, Lawrence Bender Productions, A Band Apart
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 17, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $39.6M
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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