u/Insane_law

Mafia boss Joe Cabot and his son Eddie gather six robbers under the aliases Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Pink, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Brown and Mr. Blue to rob a jewelry store. But in the midst of the robbery, things don't go according to plan - the police arrive quickly, and several robbers are wounded and some are killed, which leads the heroes to believe that there is a traitor among them...

My first Tarantino film. I was really interested in his directing style and decided to give this film a try, mostly because it's not very long, because I didn't have a lot of free time.

"Reservoir Dogs" is very exciting and intriguing. Despite the low dynamics and the fact that the robbery itself is not shown, the film keeps you in suspense until the very end. The characters are well-written, very contrasting and interesting, and also brilliantly played by their actors - literally each of them shines, although I remember Steve Buscemi as Mr. Pink and Michael Madsen as Mr. Blonde the most.

I would especially like to highlight Tarantino's signature dialogues on various life topics, which better reveal the characters and thanks to which I know what Madonna is singing about.

Overall, "Reservoir Dogs" is a great film that offers a new perspective on heist movies. If you don't mind a high level of violence and profanity, I recommend it.

WARNING: Trigger warning for abuse and torture.

Gertrude Baniszewski, a divorced mother of seven children, agrees to take care of two girls, 16-year-old Sylvia Likens and her younger sister Jennie, while their parents travel with a carnival. The girls became friends with her children in church, and think it will be nice spending time there. Though her eldest daughter is the real troublemaker, Gertrude vents all her bitterness and frustration on innocent Sylvia. She imprisons the girl in the basement and tortures her, eventually encouraging her children to follow suit.

If anyone doesn't know, this movie is based on real events, namely the horrific murder of 16-year-old Sylvia Likens in 1965. And it was through the real case that I was introduced to this film.

It's worth to say that the torture and abuse in "An American Crime" are very toned down compared to reality. So I wouldn't call this film that shocking — reading a Wikipedia article about the real case was much more disturbing. Nevertheless, there is violence here, including sexual violence.

"An American Crime" itself is very good. The story is told through flashbacks, which are periodically interrupted by the current trial, and this structure works to the film's advantage, because it is more creepy and tense. Elliot Page played the role of the protagonist perfectly, well conveying all the suffering that Sylvia had to go through. Catherine Keener, although she looks nothing like the real Gertrude Baniszewski, well embodied the image of a suffering single mother with many children, who is gradually going crazy. The supporting cast is also very decent.

Among the disadvantages, I would mention the first half, where the film takes too long to accelerate, which somewhat loses the tension. There are also minor historical inconsistencies, such as the character of Gertrude's eldest daughter Paula, who in reality was no less cruel than her mother (in the film she is shown to be more sympathetic).

Overall, a decent movie. "An American Crime" works because of its atmosphere and acting, not a blatant exploitation and shocking content. Despite its minor flaws, I liked it (the film itself, not what was shown in it). I recommend it if you are a fan of true crime. If not, it’s more of a niche film for viewers who can handle pretty brutal violence.