Pulp Fiction ---- **** (out of 5) (1994)
Cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth
Director(s): Quentin Tarantino
Screenwriter(s): Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary
Released on: October 14, 1994
Reviewed on: July 28, 2004
Rated: R - for graphic violence/gore, gratuitous profanity, drug use, and sexual content
When asked by a friend what the main premise of PULP FICTION was, I found myself at a loss for words. I had seen the film prior to the discussion we had regarding it, but when it came to actually describing its overall concept, I really couldn't put my finger on one particular choice of words. My initial thought was to mention it as a crime story, but the film has several underlying topics that you can uncover by watching it multiple times and appreciating its variety of entertainment sources.
There are several plots that establish the foundation of the film, and the stories weave themselves together by jumping forward in time, flashing back in time, and vice versa. By the final scene, you'll see how every plot basis converges and becomes a completely solid motion picture. The first scene features two characters who are not featured again until the final scene where they become vital to ending the story. They are two armed robbers referred to as "Pumpkin" and "Honey Bunny." After scheming up the idea to rob the coffee shop that they're dining in, they grab their pistols, start barking orders at the employees, and are interrupted by the opening credits. This is where their screen time is cut short until the final 15 minutes.
Before the first story begins, a prologue takes place and introduces us to two hitmen named Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, working for a wealthy mob boss named Marsellus Wallace. They are looking to kill off a group of Marsellus's former business partners because of their betrayal. After this, the first story "Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife" begins, and it executes the story of Vincent taking out Mia Wallace for a lovely evening together while her husband, Marsellus, is out of town.
The second story "The Gold Watch" gives the viewer an opportunity to behold another sparkling character, Butch Coolidge, a boxing champion. In the first scene of the story that occurred prior to this one, we witnessed Butch making a deal with Marsellus to start a fight and go down in the 5th round. Discovering that he could profit much better by betraying Marsellus, he flees the boxing stadium and lives on the lam with his French girlfriend, Fabienne.
The third story "The Bonnie Situation" flashes back to the first hit that Vincent and Jules made directly after killing the men that betrayed their boss. After Vincent accidentally shoots a man in the backseat of their car in broad daylight, they find themselves stuck with blood-splattered clothing and a backseat covered in gory remains that they need to dispose of. Realizing quickly that it won't last long in their friend Jimmy's garage, they call in one of Marsellus's most efficient problem-solvers, Winston Wolf.
With his explosive sophomore release, Quentin Tarantino has proven that he can live up to the hype generated by his directorial debut. PULP FICTION has been well-known over the past decade for being a violent and profane film, but with so many different aspects to generate enjoyment from, it's almost impossible for it not to appeal to someone at one point during its 154-minute running length. Some of the gory moments can be a tad unsettling, but they are mostly played out in a clever fashion that makes them laughable in a campy way. This is why PULP FICTION succeeds so fantastically as a dark comedy. QT's love of macabre humor and crime-related violence is just something that most fans have come to expect from his writing and directing projects.
I suppose if you're a viewer who is easily offended by violent content and heavy language, then you probably don't go out and see R-rated films very often. But most movie people will tell you that PULP FICTION was their favorite film to discuss even years after its release. It contains all kinds of multi-layered subtleties that take place as a result of someone else's actions. This makes it a very well-written film that, as a result, is highly enjoyable for an observant individual that can pick up on the cause-and-effect occurrances that the film is littered with. It's interesting to see how all of the characters interact and the vital events that go down because of the things they do. But on the whole, if you're not one to analyze a film to death, PULP FICTION still has plenty to offer and unfolds in an entertaining fast-paced manner that still manages to slow down every now and then for decent storytelling. Go and see it if you're looking for an adrenaline-fueled crime thriller that's successfully plot-driven at the same time.
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