Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Genre: Thriller / Author’s Favorites

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michal Madsen

Running time: 99 minutes

For the 200^th review on this blog, I decided to go back to an all-time favorite of mine: Reservoir Dogs. This 1992 crime thriller is the first feature-length film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.

A mob boss and his son hire six men who don’t know each other to work together on a diamond heist. When the crime does not go down as planned and cops arrive early, causing mayhem among the crooks, it becomes apparent that there might be a rat amongst the hired guns.

In true Tarantino fashion, the story of Reservoir Dogs is not told in linear fashion. We go back and forth through the events of the failed diamond heist and what followed and through the backstory of the characters. The acting is superb on everyone’s part and the movement in the action is seemless.

There are two scenes in particular that I absolutely adore in Reservoir Dogs. First, there is the opening scene, at the table in a restaurant, where Tarantino himself, as Mr. Brown, tells his interpretation of Like a Virgin, the Madonna song. Hilarious stuff that I still quote to this day with friends. The second scene, a little rougher, is the one where Michael Madsen, as Mr. Blonde, tortures a police officer while dancing to Stuck in the middle with you.

Reservoir Dogs is a true classic in my book, one that would launch the great writing and directing career of Quentin Tarantino. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I love it.

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