Pulp Fiction
I’ma get medieval on your ass if you haven’t seen this movie yet.
Having greatly enjoyed Tarantino’s other works, I decided to go back and see what the hype was all about for the movie that truly propelled him into the cultural spotlight and made QT a household name. And what a movie indeed. Though it was released all the way back in 1994, it’s easy to see how this film has seized admiration from critics and the public alike and cemented itself into pop culture and meme canon.
Admittedly, the plot of Pulp Fiction appears quite scattered — it is presented as a nonlinear collection of ridiculous vignettes held together by thin story threads and shared characters, but perhaps that’s the point. Instead of the plot, the characters and dialogue are what carry the film. In true Tarantino fashion, the dialogue is long-winded, drawn-out, and inexplicably random or strange in subject matter, but that’s part of the charm. Honestly, I could care less about the plot — the dialogue is so good that the movie just flows. To be honest, I could listen to the characters talk about anything for hours.
Pulp Fiction is propelled by the charisma of its characters and the strength of the actors’ performances. John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson absolutely steal the show in the hilarious ‘buddy-hitmen’ dynamic between the clueless and hapless Vincent Vega and the philosophizing Jules Winnfield. I’m convinced that Samuel Jackson should have the exclusive rights to the word motherfucker because only he and him alone can utter that word so perfectly and so beautifully. In fact, the word has so become a part of him that it seeps into pretty much all his performances, especially his signature stare-at-you-motherfuckerly face.
However, incredible performances from the rest of the cast (which contains the likes of Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, and Tim Roth) contribute to the absolute WEALTH of memorable and iconic scenes, from the Kahuna Burger confrontation, the infamous Jack Rabbit Slim’s dance-off, Mia Wallace’s slow dance to the tune of “Girl You’ll be a Woman Soon”, Ezekiel 25:17 monologues, and the diner robbery among many, many others.
Though the story of the film is certainly somewhat disjointed and riddled with the exaggerated use of expletives — perhaps an intentional nod to its name, though it seems to me that it’s just a hallmark of Tarantino’s style — the film does hint at some level of deeper meaning. Oh geez, another film analysis, I know, but I can’t help but look for the deeper message of films, even though it certainly isn’t a prerequisite to enjoyment or cinematic greatness. Both the film’s seemingly erratic plot as well as Jules’ and Vincent’s differing perspectives on the near-death “miracle” present interesting viewpoints on the nature of life. Is life an entirely random existence wholly consisting of inadvertent occurrences and unintended coincidences, as Vincent seems to believe, or does God or some sort of higher power have the ability to influence events through invisible puppet strings — “divine intervention”, as Jules concludes? It’s a question as old as humanity itself, and the film does not directly make any conclusions (for the better) and instead leaves it up to the audience to decide for themselves. Do coincidences such as how disaster always strikes whenever Vincent goes to the toilet affirm the existence of “fate” or some pre-determined ‘order’ to life or are they just that — freak coincidences? That’s totally up to you, the viewer.
The YouTube channel Wisecrack (great channel, absolutely recommend) mentioned how being “cool” was the act of being involved yet simultaneously detached, and both the characters and story of Pulp Fiction pull this off effortlessly. Regardless of the existence of any deeper meanings, the film remains a cinematic masterpiece that is an absolute joy to watch whether you are chilling on your couch, half stoned-out like Lance, or overthinking the thematic messages behind the Ezekiel 25:17 verse. Does the film have something to say or is it just plain, campy, good fun? Does it even matter? Either way, in the words of Vincent Vega: God damn, this is one motherfucking good ̶m̶i̶l̶k̶s̶h̶a̶k̶e̶ movie.
Also, I really really want a ‘BAD MOTHERFUCKER’ wallet now.
