Reservoir Dogs (1992)
When you think you sound cooler than you really are.
Presentation:
Quentin Tarantino directs and stars in his earliest film. It has some DNA of Pulp Fiction with elements from his future signature style, but this film is quite unpolished. It feels quite low budget despite having his trademark violence, hand guns, driving through LA, conversing in diners and non-existent music. The pacing is a bit all over the place utilizing backstory that I didnโt care much for because of a weak script. Itโs too much stream of consciousness with characters stumbling and talking over one another. Some may find this charming, but itโs just too casual to its detriment compared to more iconic engaging pop cultural conversations. Dialogue feel scripted with frivolous yelling and cursing, it just tries a bit too hard with Tarantino literally chuckling at his own jokes in the background. Just a bit too self congratulatory.
Conclusion:
I struggle to rank this supposed masterpiece because I really didnโt enjoy the dialogue, but I think the plot has moments of greatness especially for its time when twists were considered revolutionary. Thereโs early brilliance, but by todayโs standard, it lacks impact despite having novel storytelling. Itโs very Tarantino, self-indulgent, unapologetic, singularly visualized. We love him, but this is one of his weaker films in his early career where letโs be honest, itโs at a point where he isnโt refined and thinks the dialogue sounds cooler than it really is.
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Luca Guadagnino challenges what we know about filmmaking.