Does it look like a film? Then why you try and review it like a film?

Rating: 10/10 (24 November 2011)

Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction is a work of postmodern art. It's unlike any film I've seen before, and because of that, I commend it for not searching for a blueprint or a formula to tell its story. Tarantino tells the story from pure originality, and like many of his future films, Pulp Fiction is told with a non-linear narrative making it hard to explain the plot. It's better to just introduce the characters and go from there.
The story is about very different people whose lives intertwine with one another over the course of a few days. The characters first introduced are Pumpkin (Roth) and "Honey Bunny" (Plummer) who are talking in a dinner with plans to conduct a heist. We then cut to two detectives named Vincent Vega (Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Jackson) who are trying to retrieve a briefcase they can bring to their boss Marsellus Wallace (Rhames).
Wallace has his own chapter in the film as well. Him and prizefighter Butch Coolidge (Willis) strike a deal where Butch accepts a large amount of money to throw an upcoming fight. While Wallace is tied up in this deal, Vega goes over to meet and take to dinner the lovely Mrs. Mia Wallace (Thurman). A series of events happen, causing dismay among Vega which lead to some very well-written and well-acted sequences.
Being that the film is conducted in a very nontraditional style, Pulp Fiction is a task to follow sometimes. My advice; watch it and just go along with it. If you feel inclined to look up how it played out on the internet go ahead, or if you want to give it a rewatch that is fine too. Viewing multiple clips for a second time, I think I finally understand it more, but a lot of questions you'll still be asking after repeated viewings.
One of the most famous questions is "what's in the briefcase?" that is recovered by Vega and Winnfield in the early scenes of the film. I'm sure when writing the film Tarantino himself didn't know what he wanted to put in the briefcase. I'm also sure he didn't think it would blow up into such a debacle on the message boards and through word of mouth.
What truly makes Pulp Fiction worthwhile is the genius dialog. Tarantino cranks out the best script possible combined with enough wit and violence to please the most demanding and picky action-film fan. One moment the two are discussing why a Quarter Pounder With Cheese from McDonalds is called a "Royale With Cheese" in France. Next, they are threatening violence if a victim asks the question "what?" again.
Why do I not condone constant swearing and gratuitous violence in other films, but for some reason award a perfect score to a film that is made up of it? Because Pulp Fiction shows how it should be done. It depicts realistic situations, handled intelligently and with wit and soul. It doesn't utilize them for the purpose of being monotonous or dreary, but to advance an already crafty storyline. The character are under such stress it only makes sense that they are constantly shouting four letter words. Is it necessary? Not really. But Pulp Fiction isn't just about swearing. It proves that true cinema still exists and that even a story that appears choppy and inconsistent on paper can still produce one of the best films of the decade.
Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Maria de Medeiros, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette, Christopher Walken, Bruce Willis, and Quentin Tarantino. Directed by: Quentin Tarantino.