Two years after marking its 25th anniversary, Quentin Tarantino’s adaptation of Jackie Brown is now making its arrival on 4K Ultra HD. The film will be available as a collectible limited-edition Steelbook as well as a standard 4K UHD release.

What follows is my review of the film from 2022:

Jackie Brown, which gave new life to Pam Grier and Robert Forster’s careers, marks the 25th anniversary of its theatrical release in 1997.

In Quentin Tarantino’s adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch, the filmmaker pays homage to the 1970s blaxploitation films. The gist of the film is that Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is a flight attendant who is smuggling money for Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson) and authorities catch her in action. But before that happens, Ordell hires Max Cherry (Robert Forster) to bail out Ordell’s courier, Beaumont Livingston (Chris Tucker). Of course, Robbie ends up having his own courier killed just to prevent him from opening up to police. The police get enough information out of him for ATF agent Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) and LAPD detective Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen) to arrest Jackie.

I’m not going to really dive into the rest of the plot here. It involves double-crossing, people getting killed, and a happy ending at the end. Well, as happy as an ending could possibly be for Jackie Brown when one factors in her ordeal.

Jackie Brown is a film that gives us the usual Tarantino trademarks. There is plenty of violence throughout the two and a half hour film. The pace could certainly use improvement as it was somewhat of a struggle to watch it in my apartment for the first time last week.

It’s no surprise then that Pam Grier was always in mind for the leading role of Jackie Brown. Grier’s career made her Tarantino’s top choice for the role. Her casting here would lead to both awards acclaim and a revitalization of her career. Next to Grier, it’s Robert Forster with a standout performance, earning the actor an Oscar nomination for Supporting Actor. In another universe, Forster might not even have gotten an Oscar nomination. Could you imagine watching Paul Newman, Gene Hackman, or even John Saxon in the role? That’s not to say that Forster wasn’t in the running but a different fate of events could have changed history.

The film is not without controversy because of Quentin Tarantino’s use of a certain word. I personally will not use the particular word. I also understand why people are not happy with the frequency of its use in this film. Does Tarantino need to use it so much in this film? My guess is probably not. I’m aware of Spike Lee’s criticism of the film and he has every right to make his points. Quentin Tarantino is just going to do what he’s going to do and nothing that any of us say will change his mind.

Michael Keaton would later reprise the role of Ray Nicolette in an uncredited cameo appearance in Out of Sight. The character makes appearances in both Elmore Leonard novels and thankfully, both Miramax and Universal Pictures were able to work things out.

Pam Grier and Robert Forster turn in some of the best performances of 1997 in Jackie Brown.

Bonus Features

• Breaking Down Jackie Brown (HD) (approx 45 mins)
• Jackie Brown: How It Went Down (with Play All option) (SD)
  • Rum Punch “Reading It Again That Night, I Fell In Love With It” (2:56)
  • Elmore Leonard “If You And Elmore Leonard Had A Child, That’s What This Is” (3:24)
  • Quentin’s Influences “Quentin’s A Huge Fan Of The ’60s And ’70s” (3:59)
  • Pam Grier “Quentin’s Been A Pam Grier Fan Forever” (5:50)
  • Robert Forster “And This Part Goes To Robert Forster” (5:07)
  • Samuel L. Jackson “He Just Says Quentin’s Lines Probably Better Than Anyone” (2:49)
  • Robert De Niro “I’m Actually Doing A Scene With Robert De Niro!” (2:07)
  • Bridget Fonda “She’s From A Good Bloodline Of Actors” (1:53)
  • Michael Keaton “And ‘Bang,’ He Was The Guy” (3:01)
  • The Production “I’m Making Movies With My Family” (7:46)
• “A Look Back at Jackie Brown” – Interview with Quentin (54:38) (SD)
• Chicks With Guns Video (4:51) (SD)
• Siskel & Ebert “At The Movies” – Jackie Brown Review (SD) (4:44)
• Jackie Brown on MTV (SD)
  • Jackie Brown Promotional Contest (1:03)
  • MTV Live Jackie Brown (14:22)
• Marketing Gallery
  • Trailers (with Play All option)
  • Green Band Teaser (:50) (SD)
  • Theatrical Teaser (1:31) (SD)
  • Theatrical Teaser #2 (1:29) (SD)
  • TV Spots (with Play All option) (SD)
  • “The Chase” – Revised (:17)
  • “Six People” (:16)
  • “Scamming” (:32)
  • “Up For Grabs” – Revised (:17)
  • “Shakedown” (:32)
  • “Review” (:31))
  • “Showdown” (1:01)
  • “Here We Go” – Revised (:31)
  • Pulp Fiction Posters (stills)
• Still Galleries
• Enhanced Trivia Track
• Deleted and Alternate Scenes

DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER: Quentin Tarantino
CAST: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton, and Robert De Niro

Miramax released Jackie Brown in theaters on December 25, 1997.

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