Samuel L Jackson: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

2. Ordell Robbie - Jackie Brown (1997)

Another from Jackson's prolific, and most successful mid to late 1990s period, Jackie Brown is probably Jackson's most menacing role, though his charisma is such that he doesn't so much feel like a villain - which he undoubtedly is - and more like a swaggering anti-hero at the very extreme end of the scale. Tarantino's greatest - and probably most underrated - film is also Jackson's best performance for him, without the grandeur or the grand-standing of either Jules or Stephen, but with smarter, and far tighter writing. Jackie Brown is less of a collection of grotesques than Tarantino's other films, and there's more opportunity to actually act with subtlety, thanks to the slower build that culminates in Jackson's snapping point after he kills Louis and discovers that Jackie has ripped him off. Though the moment that he snaps is brilliant, it's the slow build and the small touches in the performance that make it so stand out.