Movie: Reservoir Dogs (A, S)

Let me start by saying I actually like Reservoir Dogs better than Pulp Fiction. I can appreciate PF for what it is, stylistically and artistically and even historically, but the plot and characters of RD are just more interesting to me. The film has truly some jaw-dropping scenes.

The setup is simple: a group of robbers, each with a code name, are working together to steal some diamonds. The lineup here is amazing: Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), and Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn), to name a few.

Suddenly, everything goes horribly wrong. Relationships become increasingly strained under the stress of possible capture. One of the men has a gunshot wound in his stomach, but no one will take him to the hospital for fear that he--or the person who drops him off--will be arrested.The robbers that escape the police meet at an abandoned warehouse and try to determine which one of them ratted them out to the police. (The audience finds out who the rat is before the other characters do, which makes the situation even more intense.)

This is a story of friendship and loyalty and what people will do when pushed to their limits. It is bloody, full of foul language, and occasionally degrading to women (the "Like a Virgin" conversation) and African-Americans. Grade: A-