Who do you blame when it all goes wrong?

Reservoir Dogs (1992) – A Review

Director ~ Quentin Tarantino

Producer ~ Lawrence Bender

Writer ~ Quentin Tarantino

Starring ~ Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen

Quentin Tarantino is considered by some to be a great cult director, but Reservoir Dogs is probably the only one of his films that actually qualifies as ‘cult’. It was Tarantino’s independent debut as both a writer and director, and is a brilliant low budget display of how great a filmmaker he is, even when you take away the opulence of his later work.

The film focuses around the events leading up to a jewelry heist and after it all goes horribly wrong. The team, each named after a colour to conceal their identities, try to figure out who was the ‘rat’ amongst them that alerted the police. The narrative jumps between the events before and after the robbery in a non-linear fashion intersected with unrelated scenes where they discuss Madonna and appropriate tipping etiquette.

Tarantino’s script is funny, in a very blunt way, and contrasts brilliantly with the lavish violence. The violent scenes in the film are also cleverly filmed, as the anticipation is built up and then usually the camera cuts away before the really gruesome acts are performed. The balance between the tension that is built up in these scenes and the snappy dialogue keeps your eyes peeled to the screen. It is a rapid, stylistic, gangster inspired piece of cinema and rightly established Tarantino as an upcoming writer/director to watch.

Favourite Quotes ~

Joe: You don't need proof when you have instinct. 

Mr. Blonde: Torture you? That's a good idea. I like that.

Mr. Pink: You kill anybody? 
Mr. White: A few cops. 
Mr. Pink: No real people? 
Mr. White: Just cops. 

Joe: Cough up a buck you cheap bastard. 

Mr. Pink: Do you know what this is? It's the world's smallest violin playing just for the waitresses.

Joe: Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Pink. 
Mr. Pink: Why am I Mr. Pink? 
Joe: Because you're a faggot, alright? 

Mr. Blonde: You kids shouldn't play so rough. Somebody's gonna start cryin'.