Butch, do I have a pot?

Rating: 10/10 (10 August 2001)

My ex-girlfriend refuses to watch this one and she'll probably still live a fulfilled life. But for those of us who can never regain our innocence, you have to admit this is one hell of a movie. Some of the sharpest, funniest dialogue ever written. Yes, a bit contrived at times (some times Tarantino sounds like he's trying to sound like Tarantino) but still stunning. The verbal sparring is every bit as exciting and violent as the blood and bullets and little bits of brain. Interesting Postmodern take on spirituality. Camus would've been proud. Even if Jules' conversion was based on the possibly incorrect assumption that God had directly intervened in his life, Postmodernism says, "Hey, what they hell? Go for it. It's not any more or less true than anything else so more power to you. Praise be to God!" Interesting. Tarantino is sometimes criticized for being too clever with his influences and allusions but I don't think that's true of PULP FICTION. Yes we can see shades of Kiss Me Deadly, Deliverance, etc. but I don't think they take over the movie. Also, the music works (in the movie but not, in my opinion, on the soundtrack CD). Tarantino was once asked if he had intentionally put songs like "Jungle Boogie" in with the intent to be campy but Q said that basically he didn't care what was considered corny and what was considered art. He just knew he liked it. Probably gives us a little insight into his view of movie making too.