Pulp Fiction (1994)
Directed By: Quentin Tarantino
22 Feb 2021
I sat down to watch Pulp Fiction with my brother some time around 2018, I still wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’d heard of the movie for years of course, with people heaping praise upon it, talking about how brilliant the non-linear storytelling is, and the engaging dialogue. The only thing I knew about the plot was that it was about two hit men and according to everyone else, I should be expecting an almost spiritual experience.
Two and a half hours later the movie ended and I had not had the revelatory experience I expected. I had not transcended this mortal world and my view of movies was not changed forever. Was it a good movie? I would say so. I enjoyed the suspense, the unexpected twists, the grim comedy but it was not life changing it was just a good movie. The movie has depth, moral quandaries, and poses philosophical questions but even that couldn’t reach my lofty expectations, expectations set by reading years of reverent idolization expressed by people online.
The reason I didn’t get it when I watched it the first time is purely due to my inaccurate expectations. In a lot of ways it was a lesson that in order to really enjoy a movie, especially a classic, you have to set aside your expectations and go in with a blank slate. I now try to forget the critical reviews, the scores and ratings, the philosophical musings of others, and go in as if I’m simply a member of the audience on opening night. I experience the movie with an open mind and when it’s over I take some time to think about it and draw my own conclusions. If I’m still interested after that, then I might seek out the opinions of others online.