It's been 30 years since Reservoir Dogs introduced the world to Quentin Tarantino and his rag tag band of thieves: Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), Mr. Brown (Tarantino himself), and Mr. Blue (Edward Bunker). The 1992 film is about a group of thieves aiming to pull off the perfect diamond heist, but the crime goes haywire when one of the men turns out to be a cop. Now, it's well known why Tarantino doesn't show the actual heist in Reservoir Dogs, as it came down to a budgetary reason, though the filmmaker himself has always deemed not showing the heist as beneficial to the overall story. Showing the heist itself isn't a bad idea. In fact, there are plenty of reasons why it could've made the Sundance hit even better, but not including that crucial scene that clouds the plot helped make the film unforgettable. Why?
What Is 'Reservoir Dogs' All About?
Well, one of those reasons is that it established what Reservoir Dogs is: a character-driven piece about loyalty, honor, and identity. Having a wild shootout spectacle will always be entertaining, but it would've erased the mysteries that surround Reservoir Dogs. One of them is about loose cannon Mr. Blonde aka Vic Vega. Before Mr. Blonde makes his arrival and while Mr. White and Mr. Pink are about to go gung-ho on each other, we keep hearing about how Blonde started the shootout and White easily labels him a psychopath.
However, rewind back to the opening scene and that moment tells a different story. The guys are talking about Madonna's song "Like A Virgin" and Mr. Blonde explains why the song is about a girl who's vulnerable after being betrayed by all the men in her life. Now, he does ask Joe (Lawrence Tierney) in a joking manner, "Do you want me to shoot this guy?" later on in the scene, but Mr. Blonde never comes across as a psychopath. The diner scene is crucial because it helps establishes character for the main cast. It's that juxtaposition that makes Mr. Blonde intriguing. Where is he? Is there a possibility that he's the mole? Heck, when he finally makes his appearance within the warehouse, his moves become unpredictable because he's a loose cannon with a kind side.
Who's the Cop?
Does that mean showing the heist with Mr. Blonde going bananas would've killed the mystery about him? Yes. Even Mr. Pink says it, the guy is too crazy to be a cop. Given the fact that the police took the wait-and-see approach until shit started hitting the fan, Mr. Blonde being a cop just wouldn't make any sense. In the case of Mr. White, he seems more likely to be the cop, with him purposely breaking the rules of giving Mr. Orange his name as one of the examples, and given how little of his character we know. However, that notion could easily be said for everyone, especially Mr. Blue! Until it's confirmed by Joe, the whereabouts of Mr. Blue is unknown. He could've been down at the precinct squealing like a pig about the secret warehouse. Not showing the heist hides subtle character beats that viewers would've caught. Granted, Tarantino would've done his best to hide that Mr. Orange was the rat within the group, but eagle-eyed fans would've noticed the key but subtle moments that would've further added dimension to their characters. Unfortunately, one thing that stands out is that the film is exposition-heavy, but the combination of the strong acting and Tarantino's snappy dialogue makes the film feel natural more often than not.
The Flashbacks Elevate the Plot
However, it's not just the fact that the mystery factor plays up until Mr. Orange shoots Mr. Blonde, but it gave Tarantino a chance to play with the structure without confusing the audience. Since the inciting incident isn't shown, the flashbacks of Mr. White, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Blonde never feel as if the story is slowing down because these are the moments that are helping the story move forward. It gives audiences a chance to connect with these criminals; the important showcase of Mr. Blonde and Nice Guy Eddie's (Chris Penn) strong bond as friends, to how Mr. Orange tricked his way into the crew, and the development of his friendship with Mr. White. The moments in the flashback are helping piece together a puzzle (aka the heist) that gives the information we need, without dragging the momentum of the story down. It would've been very hard to make this narrative work had we seen the heist. The non-linear aspect would've been disjointed and though the flashbacks give vital information about the formation of the crew and characters, the momentum would've been killed because the focus should remain on the present after the heist goes awry.
Tarantino Controls Audiences' Expectations of the Ending
That brings us to the ending. There should've been more development between Mr. White and Mr. Orange's friendship. While it's ridiculous that Joe's gut instinct is why he feels that Mr. Orange is the mole, him saying that he didn't do thorough research about the guy should've had Mr. White questioning Mr. Orange a bit more. The trust should've been stronger with Joe and Nice Guy Eddie, and given the fact that Mr. White never comes across as a guy who acts based on emotion, his motive for trusting Mr. Orange feels disingenuous. However, after Mr. Orange finally reveals the truth, the superb ending sees Mr. White blow his head off before the cops blast him into heaven. The crucial part is that the focus remains on his face, so the viewers never see these explosive movements. Not delivering the wild spectacle as the shootout gave Tarantino the flexibility to control audience's expectations of what they will see. That moment of seeing Mr. White disheartened over being betrayed resonates stronger than witnessing the tragic events that take place in the climax. Reservoir Dogs is a violent movie, but Tarantino shows restraint when delivering those moments. He never loses sight of character, and that's why these men are considered top-tier when it comes to characters in cinema.
Reservoir Dogs would've still been a good movie if the heist was shown. However, not showing the catalyst that kicked off the entire plot allowed the strong character-driven story to evolve beyond your typical popcorn affair. Tarantino created a cast of memorable characters and unpredictable moments, which is why the film remains iconic. You can also celebrate the 30th birthday of this classic with its 4k Blu-Ray release.