Reservoir Dogs (1992)

	Directed by: Quentin Tarantino	COUNTRY USA GENRE Drama/Crime/Action NORWEGIAN TITLE De hensynløse RUNNING TIME 99 minutes
	Produced by: Lawrence Bender
	Written by: Quentin Tarantino

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Mr. White/Larry	Harvey Keitel
Mr. Orange/Freddy	Tim Roth
Mr. Blonde/Vic	Michael Madsen
Nice Guy/Eddie	Christopher Penn	½
Mr. Pink	Steve Buscemi	½
Joe Cabot	Lawrence Tierney
Holdaway	Randy Brooks	-
Marvin Nash	Kirk Baltz	-
Mr. Blue	Eddie Bunker	-
Mr. Brown	Quentin Tarantino

Review

The urgency and immediacy of Quentin Tarantino's debut feature remain as outstanding now several years after its release as in 1992. And it becomes increasingly evident how revolutionary the film was for more than one genre in American filmmaking, though most notably the crime and action genres. Tarantino strips down every convention and presents a structurally refreshing, narratively ambitious piece that looks, feels, and smells like a free-standing, liberated work of art.

The inspiration comes from '70s crime movies, but there is nothing in the film reminiscent of the more embroidered forms of tribute Tarantino paid later on in his career. Reservoir Dogs has its heart in the '70s and clearly distances itself from the conventionalism and lack of realism that typified '80s action. As an artistic expression, it is pure innovation. Tarantino combines a clever, well-tangled story with a completely unbiased and deeply insightful look into the human psyche. He manages to create energizingly authentic characters, even if their coolness is the first priority, and he constantly balances them on the edge between hero and villain. In remarkable fashion, Tarantino explores the nuances and borderlines between good and bad that arise in most situations in life – and he does it all while delivering an absorbing and atmospheric crime story.

Although Tarantino didn't gain unanimous praise until Pulp Fiction two years later, it was with Reservoir Dogs that he created the stylistic universe that has come to define him. And it has never been more impetuous than here, running through the entire production – from compositions to thematics and narrative. There is a boldness and timelessness to this picture that can only stem from an ingenious, visionary filmmaker at his dawn. Going from a fifteen-minute completely inspirational conversation about nothingness to filming neo-poetic realism is a hallmark of this. The casting is sheer genius as well, combining old and new talent while replacing a traditional lead character with a small ensemble of character actors. They are all brilliant, but Harvey Keitel stands out in particular. Reservoir Dogs was a renaissance for him and a seminal work for the greatest filmmaker of our time.