Reservoir Dogs

One of the most audacious debut films ever made (I think Citizen Kane takes the top prize), Reservoir Dogs was our introduction to Quentin Tarantino, and in this 1992 film many of his themes and tropes are on hand: nonlinear storytelling, violence, profanity, and an obsession with pop culture.

It also tells the story of a bank robbery without showing the robbery, an ingenious bit of legerdemain. We start with breakfast, when the thieves and their bosses are at a diner. Conversation ranges from what Madonna's "Like a Virgin" is about (Tarantino, who has a small role, says it's about big dicks) to Steve Buscemi explaining why he doesn't believe in tipping.

Then, boom, we're in the aftermath, with Tim Roth lying in the back of a car, gut shot, while Harvey Keitel drives and tries to reassure him. The robbery has been a bust--cops were already there--so someone was a rat. Unable to take Roth to a hospital, Keitel takes him to the post-heist rendezvous, an old warehouse. They are joined by Buscemi, who is certain someone betrayed them.

Later, they are joined by Michael Madsen, who is a sadistic and remorseless killer. In the film's most famous scene, which some people watched through their fingers, Madsen tortures a policeman while Stealer's Wheel sing "Stuck in the Middle With You" (Reservoir Dog's soundtrack is a DJ, voiced by Steven Wright, spinning hits of the '70s). Even though Tarantino discreetly moves the camera away when Madsen is removing the cop's ear, I think most people remember seeing that particular bit of grisliness.

The film ends with another Tarantino favorite, the Mexican stand-off, this time with four participants. I have more than once slowed the film down to see who shoots first, and it does not violate the law of physics (in some films, a guy will be able to point and shoot and two people while on person can't get off a shot).

Reservoir Dogs is also funny. Buscemi balks at being given the pseudonym Mr. Pink, and boss Lawrence Tierney (in a classic performance) tells him it's my way or the highway. There is also a discussion of how black women are tougher than white women, which leads to a mention of Get Christie Love. One guy says she was played by Pam Grier, but Roth says no. (For the record, it was Theresa Graves).

Though the film is twenty-six years old, I won't spoil it, but one of the thieves is an undercover cop, and we see his training for the role. This involves a made-up story about having weed in s public restroom full of cops and a drug-sniffing German shepherd.

Reservoir Dogs is riotously entertaining, with great performances all around, including the late Chris Penn as Tierney's son, who has most of the good lines. This is the kind of movie you can watch once a year and pick up things you didn't notice before. This time I noticed how few close-ups there are in the film.

My only problem with the film is the casual racism of the characters and the frequent use of the "n" word, which Tarantino has not gotten over (see "The Bonnie Situation" part of Pulp Fiction). I understand that it provides verisimilitude, but it makes me cringe anyway.