--- title: "Jackie Brown" year: 1997 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/jackie-brown" fi1m_id: "jackie-brown" imdb_id: "tt0119396" tmdb_id: 184 wikidata_id: "Q431252" fi1m_score: 83 critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 7 published: "2026-09-12" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:52.516566+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Jackie Brown (1997) Directed by Quentin Tarantino · 2h 34m · MPA R · Crime, Drama, Thriller ## Identity Jackie Brown - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/jackie-brown - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** jackie-brown - **IMDb ID:** tt0119396 - **TMDB ID:** 184 - **Wikidata ID:** Q431252 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119396/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/184, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q431252 **Fi1m score: 83** · Critics 73 from 7 reviews *In a sentence:* Two tired grown-ups look at each other across a bail office and Tarantino, for once, shuts up > Tarantino’s third film slows down, listens, and gives Pam Grier and Robert Forster the quietest and best scenes he has ever written. It is also a good half hour too long, and the middle knows it. ## Synopsis Quentin Tarantino adapts Elmore Leonard’s novel *Rum Punch* into a crime story set among people who have been at it too long. Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is a flight attendant carrying cash for Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson), a talkative criminal with a habit of removing anyone who might inform on him. When she is picked up and two lawmen, Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) and Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen), offer her the usual bargain, she starts working out a way to keep her freedom and the money. Robert Forster plays the bail bondsman who collects her from jail and cannot quite stop looking at her. Robert De Niro and Bridget Fonda play Ordell’s hangers-on. ## Review Quentin Tarantino’s third film is an adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s novel *Rum Punch*, and it is the one where he stops showing off. Pam Grier plays Jackie Brown, a flight attendant carrying money that is not hers, who is picked up in the first act and offered the usual choice by two men with badges, Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) and Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen). They want the man the money belongs to. That man is Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson), and everyone in the film who has crossed Ordell is either in a cell or nervous. Jackie decides she will be neither. It is a fine film and a long one. The plot is a scam, and the scam is explained more than once, but the film is not about the plot. It is about two people past the point where anyone expects much of them. Grier plays Jackie with her chin up and her voice level, a woman who has been underestimated by every man she meets and has learned to let them. Robert Forster plays Max Cherry, the bail bondsman who drives her home from jail at night, and the film’s best scene is the one in which he watches her walk towards his car. His face does nothing except decide. It moved us more than we expected, and we could not have told you what had been said, because almost nothing had. Around them Tarantino has cast people who talk. Jackson’s Ordell never stops; he explains guns, women, prison and loyalty to whoever is nearest, and Jackson makes the flow of it both funny and frightening, because Ordell is most dangerous when he sounds most reasonable. Chris Tucker has one scene early on as Beaumont, a man trying to talk his way out of a car boot, and it is a small masterclass in a character not hearing himself. Robert De Niro, as Ordell’s old friend Louis, does the opposite: he mumbles, shrugs and lets whole conversations go past him, and it is the least he has done on screen in years, deliberately. Bridget Fonda’s Melanie lies on the sofa and needles everyone, and she is right about all of them. Guillermo Navarro shoots the South Bay of Los Angeles in flat, warm daylight, car parks and strip malls and blocks of flats, and does not pretend any of it is glamorous. David Wasco furnishes Ordell’s rented house with a stereo and not much else, and gives Cherry an office of filing cabinets and a plant, which tells us his whole life. Mary Claire Hannan puts Jackie in her airline uniform for as long as she can bear it and then in her own clothes, which is the moment she starts winning. The soul and funk records on the soundtrack are not decoration; the characters play them, argue over them and buy them, and one of them does more for a courtship than any line of dialogue. Sally Menke lets scenes run past the point where most editors would cut, and late on she shows a single sequence from several points of view without repeating a shot, which is the film’s one flourish and it is earned. The trouble is 154 minutes. The middle hour, in which Louis and Melanie bicker and Ordell drives from one house to another, sags, and there is a stretch where we stopped following the money and waited for Grier to come back. Tarantino also cannot resist letting Ordell explain the plan a third time, and every time he does the film loses a little of the tension Leonard gave it. Nicolette and Dargus, who ought to be a real threat, are mostly a joke about lawmen who think they are cleverer than they are, and the joke runs long. After [*Pulp Fiction*](https://film.one/film/pulp-fiction) (1994) most critics expected another puzzle, and several of the reviews from the time marked the film down for being slow and talky. We think slowness is the point, and that the film is better than its reputation, but we would not argue that all of it is necessary. [*Get Shorty*](https://film.one/film/get-shorty) (1995), the other Leonard adaptation of the decade, ran a good deal shorter and lost nothing. Watch it at home, in the evening, where the pace stops feeling like a test and starts feeling like company. Stay for every scene Grier and Forster share; forgive the ones they do not. It carries a 15. *Fi1m score 83, published 12 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics agree that Jackie Brown is a slower, warmer film than Tarantino had made before, and they part company on whether that is a virtue. The praise clusters on the cast: Pam Grier’s flight attendant is singled out almost everywhere, and Robert Forster’s bail bondsman nearly as often, with several reviews calling their tentative romance the film’s centre. The unhurried character work, the funk and soul soundtrack and the faithful handling of Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch are the other recurring strengths. The reservations cluster on pace and length. Variety finds it too long and short on the snap of earlier Tarantino; The New York Times calls it talky and sluggish; the Los Angeles Times finds it easygoing but far from compelling; Total Film puts it at nearly forty-five minutes over. The spread is fairly wide, from warm admiration to mild disappointment, with no outright dismissals. The later reviews are kinder than the first-run ones, reading the middle-aged regret as the point rather than a slackening. ## Straight answers **Is Jackie Brown worth watching?** *Jackie Brown* is worth watching for anyone who likes a crime film that takes its time, and we scored it 83. Pam Grier and Robert Forster share the quietest and best scenes Tarantino has written, and Samuel L. Jackson is funny and frightening in the same breath. At 154 minutes the middle hour sags, so watch it at home, in the evening. **How long is Jackie Brown, and what is it rated?** *Jackie Brown* runs 2h 34m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a crime and drama film. **Where can I watch Jackie Brown in the US?** *Jackie Brown* is not on any streaming or rental service in the US at the moment. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Jackie Brown, and is it suitable for children?** *Jackie Brown* carries a UK 15 certificate and is not for children. The violence is occasional rather than constant, but Ordell Robbie removes anyone who might inform on him, and the film is frank about it; the dialogue is profane throughout. Teenagers of fifteen and over who can sit through a long, talky crime story will be fine. **How does Jackie Brown compare to Out of Sight?** *Jackie Brown* and [*Out of Sight*](https://film.one/film/out-of-sight) are both Elmore Leonard adaptations from the same decade, and *Out of Sight* is the tighter and lighter of the two. Soderbergh's film moves faster and has a proper romance at its centre; Tarantino's is slower, longer and more interested in two tired people looking at each other. Choose *Jackie Brown* for Grier and Forster, *Out of Sight* for pace. **Is Jackie Brown based on a true story or a book?** *Jackie Brown* is based on a novel, not a true story: Elmore Leonard's *Rum Punch*, which Quentin Tarantino adapted and retitled. The film keeps Leonard's scam and his people who have been at it too long, though Tarantino lets the plan be explained more often than Leonard did. You do not need to have read the book. ### Reviews we read (11) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (3.5/4): The critic praises the film as proof that Tarantino is the real thing, highlighting its smart characters who must outthink each other and the rich texture of dialogue and situations over plot mechanics. He singles out the strong casting, especially Pam Grier and Robert Forster, and the affectionate, unhurried character work. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jackie-brown-1997) - **Slant Magazine**, Chuck Bowen (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's shift from Tarantino's earlier brash style to a mature, empathetic exploration of aging, vulnerability, and middle-age regret. Strong performances, especially Pam Grier and Robert Forster as the central odd-couple pair, and textured character moments elevate the slowed-down crime plot. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/jackie-brown-review-quentin-tarantino/) - **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (4/5): Tarantino re-energises Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch as a homage to 1970s blaxploitation, with Pam Grier outstanding as the savvy flight attendant outwitting everyone around her. A superb cast, inventive visual techniques and a great funk soundtrack elevate the down-and-dirty crime thriller. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-d9y3rj/jackie-brown/) - **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film unquestionably too long and lacking the snap of Tarantino's earlier work but notes an abundance of pleasures in characterization and atmosphere, praising the imaginative casting and emotional nuance alongside its faithful yet distinctive adaptation of the novel. [Read](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/jackie-brown-1117340009/) - **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a slower, talkier and more sluggish adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel than it might have been, criticizing its length and lack of special stakes while noting some pleasures in the performances and Tarantino's affection for Pam Grier and the material. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/24/movies/film-review-smarter-than-she-is-hah.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (50/100, inferred): The critic calls the film Tarantino's idea of a nice film, a leisurely tribute to Elmore Leonard and Pam Grier that is easygoing but far from compelling, with too leisurely a pace and a lack of immediacy despite strong performances. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-dec-24-ca-1648-story.html) - **Empire**, Adam Smith: Tarantino delivers a more thoughtful, less frantic adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel that proves him still the most important filmmaker of the decade. The standout is the uniformly strong ensemble, especially Pam Grier as the resilient title character and Robert Forster as the smitten bail bondsman. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/jackie-brown-review/) - **The Times**, Geoff Brown: The film shows Tarantino reined in and matured, probing deeper into his material with some human kindness. It works as a succession of well-observed scenes featuring strong performances, especially from Pam Grier as the bruised heroine. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/article/jackie-brown-jrwsdpnwsl7) - **Time Out**, GA: Tarantino delivers his most mature film to date with a faithful adaptation of Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch, centering on Pam Grier's flight attendant navigating a scam while outsmarting cops and criminals. The focus on character, relationships and middle-aged regrets stands out as a subtle, poignant strength. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/jackie-brown) - **Total Film**: A languid character study that echoes Pulp Fiction but never lives up to it, with strong moments and performances but ultimately ordinary and two-dimensional. Robert Forster stands out as the most believable character, while the film suffers from being nearly 45 minutes too long and lacking sharp dialogue. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/jackie-brown-review/) - **Collider**, Meredith Loftus (B+): The critic views Jackie Brown as a flawed but underrated blaxploitation homage that stands out for its mature tone and strong ensemble performances, particularly Pam Grier's charismatic lead and Robert Forster's gravitas. It singles out the budding romance between the leads and the soul/R&B soundtrack for praise, while critiquing the film's narrative structure as less innovative than prior Tarantino work and some character portrayals as uneven. [Read](https://collider.com/jackie-brown-review-quentin-tarantino-pam-grier-samuel-l-jackson/) ## Details - **Director:** Quentin Tarantino - **Director:** Quentin Tarantino - **Screenplay:** Quentin Tarantino - **Novel:** Elmore Leonard - **Cinematography:** Guillermo Navarro - **Editor:** Sally Menke - **Production design:** David Wasco - **Costume design:** Mary Claire Hannan - **Producer:** Lawrence Bender - **Cast:** Pam Grier as Jackie Brown; Samuel L. Jackson as Ordell Robbie; Robert De Niro as Louis Gara; Bridget Fonda as Melanie Ralston; Michael Keaton as Ray Nicolette; Robert Forster as Max Cherry; Michael Bowen as Mark Dargus; Chris Tucker as Beaumont Livingston - **Runtime:** 2h 34m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 25 December 1997 - **Genres:** Crime, Drama, Thriller - **Also in:** [Films where the soundtrack is the real star](https://film.one/collections/soundtrack-is-the-star.md) - **Budget:** $12 million - **Box office:** $75 million ## Where to watch in the US Not streaming, renting or buying in the US at the last check. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1998: Best Supporting Actor (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Out of Sight* (1998), Fi1m 86: Soderbergh’s Leonard adaptation: same wry patience, faster feet, and a proper romance — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/out-of-sight.md) - *Coffy* (1973): Pam Grier at the start, running the whole show with a shotgun - *The Friends of Eddie Coyle* (1973): Robert Mitchum as another tired middle-aged crook who has run out of options - *Across 110th Street* (1972): The Harlem heist thriller whose title song opens this one; harder and sadder - *Ash Is Purest White* (2018): Jia Zhangke’s gangster’s girlfriend outlasts everyone; crime as a long, quiet marriage --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/jackie-brown