Runtime:
154 mins
After
bursting into the filmmaking world through the success of 1992’s “Reservoir
Dogs”, Quentin Tarantino went on to
release “Pulp Fiction” in 1994.
Similar to his debut movie, “Pulp Fiction”
is driven by extended scenes of sharp dialogue and witty humor, in an
absolutely brilliant script which Tarantino wrote with Roger Avary. This time
around, there was a significantly bigger film budget, which hovered around $8
million according to the Internet Movie Database.
Between
more money to work with and the success of “Reservoir Dogs”, an even better cast was put together for this masterpiece; led by
a career resurrection of sorts, for John Travolta and perhaps the
quintessential role for Samuel L Jackson. Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth,
Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken, and Bruce Willis are just a few other names
included in this all-star group of acting talent. With such a special team
behind the production of this instant cult classic, Quentin Tarantino crafted a
completely original story that many believe to be his magnum opus. Because of
that, “Pulp Fiction” has rightfully landed near the top of countless lists of
the greatest films ever made.
Typical
of a Tarantino film, “Pulp Fiction” has
a nonlinear structure that lets the audience piece together the overarching
plot down to every detail. The movie intertwines several different storylines
into one giant tale of gangster violence; included in this are: A young couple
of diner robbers, two hitmen, the wife of a local kingpin, and a talented
prizefighter. I would hate to spoil anything more from this gem, as the film’s
closing scene ties everything together in a manner that practically demands
multiple re-watches.
In
my opinion, the sheer uniqueness of “Pulp Fiction” represents so much about what is wrong with many films today, that
it has only become better each time that I see it. Just about every word of
dialogue contributes at least one of the following elements, including:
building strong characters, moving the plot along, and providing strong humor.
Each and every role is executed to a tee, but the script is written so
naturally that all of the conversations feel very casual and draw the audience
in, unlike any movie I have seen before or since. It was more than well-deserved
for Tarantino and Avary to bring home the top honor for writing, at the 1995
Academy Awards.
While
the tremendous screenplay is the clear strength of this movie, effective use of
homage and excellent action sequences are a few other aspects that have earned
it such a positive reputation. Unless you just don’t like Tarantino’s edgy
style or can’t handle the plethora of violent sequences, “Pulp Fiction” is a must watch for any movie fan who
hasn’t seen it and worth checking out again for anyone who has. It is currently
available to watch online with Netflix, along with the next film in this series
of reviews, “Jackie Brown”.
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