The screenplay is based on the novel Rum Punch by American novelist Elmore Leonard, although Tarantino made some significant changes to the story line and characters. Pam Grier plays Jackie Brown, a middle-aged airline flight attendant who gets coerced by ATF agent Ray Nicolet (Keaton) to help them bring down arms smuggler Ordell Robbie (Jackson) and his accomplices: ex-con bank robber Louis Gara and unemployed good-time girl Melanie Ralston (De Niro and Fonda).