Pulp Fiction Review

Pulp Fiction is an Academy Award winning 1994 film directed by Quentin Tarantino. Presented in Tarantino's trademark non-linear storytelling style, the film tells the interconnected stories of mob hitmen Jules Winfield and Vincent Vega (Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta), mob wife Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman), boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), thieves "Pumpkin" and "Honey Bunny" (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) and of their relationships both with each other and mob boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). Over the course of a brief period in Los Angeles, the characters dance, overdose on heroin, commit murder (both accidental and on purpose), win fights they were supposed to throw, quote biblical scripture, and engage in much discussion about subjects both meaningful and mundane. As the story unfolds, characters' fates are revealed, often bringing about the redemption they did not even know they were seeking.

The talented group of actors that Tarantino assembled helps to bring his Academy Award winning screenplay to life. While Travolta, Thurman, and Jackson all received Oscar nominations, some of the best and most memorable performances are by actors in smaller roles, such as Christopher Walken and Harvey Keitel. While the performances themselves are superb, the dialogue, which for the most part is interesting and often hilarious, occasionally has the tendency to run on too long, delaying the action.

Stylistically, Pulp Fiction is a masterpiece. The costumes, sets, and props are just as memorable as the characters who inhabit them. The motif of Jules' recitation of a passage from the book of Ezekiel is equally as noteworthy as the Jheri curl and black suit he sports for much of the film. Mia's black bob haircut and simple outfit are as iconic as her dance in the restaurant with Vincent. Everything about the characters, from their clothes and haircuts to what cars they drive and what food they order in a restaurant, adds yet another layer to who they are and what they stand for in life.

The music in the film could also be considered another character. A Tarantino trademark, he used no original score. Instead, he utilizes a diverse mix of pop, soul, and rock and roll music, particularly from the 1960's, that helps to create a cool, relaxed feel that adds a nice contrast to the more dark elements in the film, such as murder, rape, and overdose. Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man", Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell", and Dick Dale's "Miserlou" are used at prominent times and integral parts of some of the film's many memorable moments.

Of course, much of the fun in watching a Tarantino film is in comparing it to his other work. Some of his director trademarks include shots from the inside of a car trunk, characters who walk around barefoot, fictional brands such as Red Apple Cigarettes and Big Kahuna Burger, his aforementioned love of rock and roll (and lack of original music), and his tendency to create moments that are homages to other films. One memorable homage in Pulp Fiction is Vincent and Mia's dance at the restaurant. Pulp Fiction was in many ways John Travolta's comeback and his dance is a perfect complement to another film featuring his dancing and which helped to make him a star: Saturday Night Fever. Tarantino himself also plays a small role in this film, which is not only a trademark, but perhaps an homage to another director who did the same thing in all of his films: Alfred Hitchcock. He also has the tendency to use the same actors again and again, so it is always a treat to see actors like Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, and Bruce Willis show up, even in small cameos, to portray characters markedly different than their other Tarantino roles.

Pulp Fiction is part noir, part black comedy, and part gangster film, yet it is still entirely unique. Though those who are turned off by on screen violence and profanity might want to shy away, anyone who enjoys meaningful dialogue and originality will surely be impressed.