Shaft

On one hand Shaft was everything that I expected, with respect to the fact that the film was very entertaining despite certain questionable production values. On the other hand, Shaft offers a great deal more than I expected. These are extremely interesting characters - caricatures perhaps - but nonetheless, fully fleshed and true to themselves. Another way to put it: these characters do things that are delightfully surprising yet make complete sense within the alternate reality that is Shaft. Perhaps the best example of what I am talking about is the scene in which John Shaft sits down for his first face to face meeting with Bumpy Jonas. I think few people expect Bumpy - who has already sent two of this thugs to manhandle our hero - to be so accommodating and eventually breakdown and cry. However, the behavior rings true once we discover Bumpy's genuine, paternal concern for his kidnapped daughter.