I loved almost the entire movie but the ending was a let down. The shot of Ordell (Samuel Jackson) dying was powerful. Why extend the movie 3 minutes further and dilute that with a cliche ending? It should have ended with the death, leaving the viewer to interpret the relationship between the protagonist and the bondsman.
shareWhat was 'cliche' about the ending? Please elaborate a bit.
Never defend crap with 'It's just a movie'
http://www.youtube.com/user/BigGreenProds
The concept that all movies need to end with romance, or in this case, a parting of ways.
It could have been left to the viewer what happened between them.
I think that's a cliche because most stories have to end and, in most cases, the best way to do that is to have closure to the story. It is a rare tale that benefits from total ambiguity in its ending.
My two cents are that Jackie Brown needs the story to end. It's not a story that needs to be left with major, unanswered questions. It's a crime thriller.
It's just how story structure works. It's like chords in a song. Throwing in oddball chords at the end doesn't (usually) work with (rare) exceptions.
Ace_Spade that was a great way to put it, comparing it to music. I'm gonna have to steal that :D There's really no need for an ambiguous ending.
DISPLAY thy breasts, my Julia!
you suck, your idea is awful.
the ending was perfect. you probably loved Prometheus and LOST didnt you?
The fact that it ended with the two almost falling for each other but having to part ways makes it not cliche. If it was cliche they would have lived together happily ever after.
If the movie simply ended on the death it would have been an abrupt ending to an otherwise very developed, very involving story.
I believe they were in love with each other, and then they showed that love in the ending by appearing to disregard its existence.
They have to do that or the whole thing was for nothing. The ATF guy KNOWS he missed something and that’s one cop character not to make a fool of; at least, that’s the way he would interpret their actions. This is where his character failings can hurt others around him. He is his own personal Sun…not the ATF.
If he gets through to Mr.Walker and gets him to talk, hoooo, not good. She’s got to flee. Max Cherry HAS TO STAY.
So when Jackie does something like using Ordell’s car, she’s doing it for effect. She sees that Max is a little repulsed, and she responds with false brightness, because she needs him to be safe. That means pulling away from her just long enough not to come with her.
Honestly, once someone is dead, if there’s no heir, I’d rather see stuff not wasted.
But Ordell’s car in the story is more of a plot point. Tiny one, but still…
As they part, his blurred screen, her drive to…LAX? they’re hurting in the middle of their money.
I absolutely loved the ending. I thought the movie was perfect.
I happen to enjoy ambiguous endings, though; maybe it's the book lover in me. I love it when movies don't wrap up every last story line, and leave some things to our imagination.
www.jennamoquin.com
https://twitter.com/jennamoquin
I like that as long as ambiguity is an ending. I want to feel like the story has concluded. Questions don't need answers and ambiguity is fine, but it shouldn't feel like it just stops in the middle.
shareIt doesn't just stop in the middle. The major plot of the movie was resolved - Ordell was dead and Jackie got the money. She left to go to Spain. That's the ending, that's her riding off into the sunset.
Just because the relationship between Max and Jackie had an ambiguous ending, doesn't mean the story did. Their relationship wasn't the focus of the movie; it's not like it was a love story.
www.jennamoquin.com
https://twitter.com/jennamoquin
Yes, indeed. It's a well-crafted movie. This is an excellent example of a film where it doesn't answer every question, yet still wraps up the story nicely.
shareIt's my favorite Tarantino film.
www.jennamoquin.com
https://twitter.com/jennamoquin
Really? That's awesome. I think most people rank it as one of his "lesser" films. I loved it, so I never understood why people didn't like it as much.
What kicks it up above the others (for you)?
For me, it was one of those rare movies where every part was done well. The acting (from the main characters to the minor ones), the directing, the story, the music and the placement of music (perfect in each scene, especially when he used the same songs for different moments like the Delfonics and Grassroots songs). That doesn't always happen with music that isn't the score of the film, because it can be repetitive, but he did it very well. It sort of adds to the realistic aspect of this film, and that's another thing I loved about it - something like this could actually happen. Unlike his over-the-top movies like Kill Bill and Inglourious Basterds (fun movies, of course, but suspension of disbelief required).
I love movies that rely on the acting, directing and story to make it good, not so much special effects and explosions. Other movies like this that come to mind are Gran Turino and Shawshank Redemption, and Reservoir Dogs, which is probably my second-favorite Tarantino movie.
www.jennamoquin.com
https://twitter.com/jennamoquin
It's definitely one of his more "grounded" films (I'd say along with Reservoir Dogs). I think it's Elmore Leonard's book that kept this film more "realistic" than some of Tarantino's other work. Because it was Leonard's brainchild, it's Leonard's reality, so there's less of Tarantino's indulgences.
My favourite Tarantino is Inglourious Basterds, fantasy though it may be (it certainly isn't striving for perfect accuracy - by no means). In addition to having the riveting Hans Landa for a villain, I find it to have the strongest "point" of any of Tarantino's films, commenting on violence, ends vs. means, justice, and the moral ambiguities of war (and war as entertainment - a ballsy subject for Tarantino, master of entertaining violence). Unlike some of his other films, Inglourious Basterds just has more to say, in my opinion.
That's not to say that his other films aren't excellent, with or without "points" to make. I still love Kill Bill dearly even though the point seems to be, "Revenge + Samurai Swords = Awesome!"
I still love Kill Bill dearly even though the point seems to be, "Revenge + Samurai Swords = Awesome!"
No doubt The Bride is a great female character and an excellent lead for the film.
I never heard that she was the point, but I wouldn't doubt it if he just accepted the challenge.
The Max/Jackie relationship was the heart of the movie, so it would have been quite wrong to end the film with Ordell being blown away. A little bit of closure was called for and the final minutes played out rather gracefully as well.
"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan
The most beautiful shot of the whole movie is the second to last, in which Robert Forster goes out of focus. And the last shot is an homage to another film starred by Pam Grier, called "Sheba Baby".
shareThe ending worked fine, honestly it's very realistic. The pair had a great chemistry but all of the passion was from Max, not Jackie. I don't think she cared for him as much as he did her. She respected and appreciated him yes but loved? Not so much.. reminds me of teenage crushes. She was his first real crush in a long time, hence the bit where he tells her he wants to quit. He's doing that on purpose to make it known in her head he's crushing on her. She doesn't bite on his end, instead she uses him to help her out.
In the end she pays him mind and toys with him but he realizes what's going on and she slips out. He watches her drive away and is conflicted, she got into his head and he knows it.
Forrester kills it in this movie especially in that part. Much deserved Oscar nom imo.