Pulp Fiction Review: Tarantino's Cool, Chatty Landmark
9/10 — Pulp Fiction (1994)
Pros
- Sparkling, memorable dialogue
- Clever non-linear structure
- Fantastic soundtrack
Cons
- Graphic violence
- Language will divide viewers
Quentin Tarantino’s second film weaves together stories of two hitmen, a boxer on the run and a gangster’s wife over a few chaotic days in Los Angeles, told out of order. It won the Palme d’Or and changed independent cinema.
What works
The dialogue is the star: digressions about burgers and foot massages feel natural and sharp, and John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman are superb. The structure is playful but never confusing, and the soundtrack of surf rock and soul is perfectly chosen.
Where it falters
Its violence and casual use of slurs are likely to put some viewers off, and the many imitators it inspired have dulled some of its novelty.
Verdict
Still fresh, funny and endlessly rewatchable, even as the imitators have piled up.
