"The Max Cherry Cocktail" Recipe (Inspired by "Jackie Brown")

 "The Max Cherry Cocktail" (Inspired by "Jackie Brown")

By: The Film Bartender

After his two wildly successful films that showed off his incredible talent in filmmaking, Quentin Tarantino was ready to tackle a third film, which is based off the 1992 Elmore Leonard novel, "Rum Punch". Titled "Jackie Brown", Tarantino brought back the blaxploitation genre to the film industry, crafting a great crime film with a stellar cast and a great female lead role. Our third drink in the "Jackie Brown" series is based off Robert Forster's lovable romantic, Max Cherry. Max, who is a bails bond man, falls head over heels for Jackie when he first sees her, picking her up at the county jail after being held for drug possession. From there, he goes on this rollercoaster ride with her, hoping they can get out alive and live his dream with her. Keep reading to find out more information about Tarantino's 3rd directorial debut, and to find the full recipe for "The Max Cherry Cocktail"!

    "Jackie Brown" was released in 1997, written for the screen and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Pam Grier in the titular role, Bridget Fonda as Melanie Ralston, Robert Forster as Max Cherry, Samuel L. Jackson as Ordell Robbie, Robert De Niro as Louis Gara, and Michael Keaton as Ray Nicolette. The film revolves around Jackie Brown, who is a flight attendant that gets in trouble with the law when they discover her with huge stacks of cash and drugs in her possession. 

    Now under police custody, she has two options - talk and work with the police to catch her dealer, Ordell Robbie, or not talk and be arrested and stand trial. When she picks the first option, she thinks she can finally have a normal life free of criminal activity. However, that is when the idea comes to her to double cross both the police and Ordell, taking the money for herself and running away. Working with a bails bond man named Max Cherry, who is infatuated with Jackie, she thinks her plan will work and she can live the life she always wanted to. However, when Ordell and his associates find out, they will make sure they get their money and that Jackie goes down for their crimes. 

    This is the first, and so far the only, film by Tarantino that has been adapted from a book. When it was released, it garnered mostly positive praise from critics and audiences alike, saying that it has the charm and charisma there that was present in Tarantino's other films, but is not as good as his two previous movies, "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs". In terms of box office, the film grossed $74.7 million against a $12 million budget.

    However, even though it did well in the box office and gained critical praise, it is not without its controversy. The major controversy surrounding this film was the use of the N word, which is used 38 times in the film. Tarantino would go on to use it a lot more in his later films, "Django Unchained" and "The Hateful Eight", but this film was definitely a shock when it was used almost fifty times throughout its runtime. It especially garnered tons of backlash from black filmmakers, such as Spike Lee. 

    Forster, who was coming off a career slump, was able to revitalize his career thanks to Tarantino giving him a chance with this role. Because of that, Forster gives a fantastic performance as Cherry, really embodying the role throughout the movie. I honestly couldn't imagine a better actor to play this role, and I think Max Cherry is easily one of the most lovable and fan-favorite characters in Tarantino's universe of characters! Keep scrolling to find the full recipe for "The Max Cherry Cocktail" to enjoy when you're rewatching this classic crime caper. 

"The Max Cherry Cocktail"

                                                   

Ingredients:

- 1 oz Gin

- 1 1/2 oz Cranberry Juice

- 1 oz Lemon Sweet & Sour Mix

- 1/2 oz Grenadine

- Champagne (to top)

- Cherry (to garnish)

- Ice

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice. Then add Gin, Cranberry Juice, Lemon Sweet & Sour Mix, and Grenadine. Shake vigorously for about thirty seconds until well combined. 

2. Strain into a rocks glass full of ice, and top with champagne. Garnish with a cherry inside of the drink. Serve. 

Film Fact: The scene where Max and Jackie talk (and Max discusses that he had work done on his hair to make him look more youthful) in "Jackie Brown" was suggested by Robert Forster. Forster had such surgery when his hairline began to disappear and thought it fit the character. Tarantino was delighted that Forster was willing to openly discuss the procedure and immediately wrote it into the screenplay.

    Now you have made your very own beverage inspired by Quentin Tarantino's third film! Let me know what you think of this film and cocktail in the comments either down below or on Instagram, and give me a follow if you haven't already at @thefilmbartender. Check back tomorrow to find the first recipe in the series based off Quentin Tarantino's fourth film, "Kill Bill"! Until then, happy drinking!