20 Things You Somehow Missed In Jackie Brown

Breaking down Tarantino's criminally underappreciated masterpiece.

Jackie Brown Samuel L Jackson
Miramax

For some reason, Jackie Brown is a bit of an odd duck in Quentin Tarantino's illustrious filmography - the one that even a lot of Tarantino's supposedly die-hard fans haven't ever seen.

And yet, it's a terrifically crafted, superbly acted homage to 1970s blaxploitation films that ranks among his finest work, even if it understandably doesn't reach the iconic highs of Pulp Fiction.

Jackie Brown's default status as Tarantino's least-watched major release means that there's probably a lot you haven't picked up on, because this movie is as richly, densely detail-packed as anything the legendary filmmaker has ever produced.

Jackie Brown is absolutely a movie that rewards those who pay attention, and yet even its biggest fans might've missed some of these details, Easter eggs, and references.

It is a film positively awash in wink-wink gags for fans of exploitation cinema and of its incredible leading lady, Pam Grier, not to forget Tarantino's own wider filmography.

Like so many great movies, it's one that reveals more and more with each new viewing, but we'll save you the time by breaking down the 20 neatest details you absolutely need to see...

20. The Casting Director Is Named "Jaki Brown"

Jackie Brown Samuel L Jackson
Miramax

Unless you've paid close attention to the film's opening credits, here's something you can miss incredibly easily. During the titles, one of the movie's two casting directors is revealed to be named "Jaki Brown."

Now, we certainly wouldn't put it past Quentin Tarantino to make a gag out of this, either by inventing a fictional casting director or having one of them go uncredited for the sake of the joke.

But alas, IMDB indeed reveals Jaki Brown to be a real Hollywood casting director with 60 credits to her name on movies such as Boyz n the Hood, Cool Runnings, Billy Madison, and Friday prior to working on Jackie Brown.

Brown has sometimes gone by her married name Jaki Brown-Karman, though evidently chose not to for this movie, because the coincidental hilarity was just too damn fun to pass up, right?

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.