Pulp Fiction poster
Pulp Fiction

What’s Aged the Worst?

Weinstein; imitations; slurs; dated details; forensic carelessness

In the discussion (16)
Approx. transcript time · 01:25:21Read transcript
  • Harvey Weinstein is selected for aged worst.
  • Decades of imitations, especially in the mid-1990 s, are selected for aged worst.
  • Racial slurs, especially Jimmie’s dialogue, are considered increasingly jarring. The discussion distinguishes their uses without resolving the justification for Jimmie’s language.
  • Tarantino’s racial slurs are defended as his perception of how criminal characters would speak, while the language remains uncomfortable and his claimed familiarity with Black communities is discussed.
  • Butch’s chair-escape slow motion looks dated and uniquely artificial within the film.
  • Characters are careless about forensic evidence: Butch merely wipes a gun, and the apartment killings leave a conspicuous bloodbath and early-morning gunshots.
  • Los Angeles diners are disappearing, and robbing diners for cash-filled wallets seems less plausible now.
  • Buscemi’s tiny Buddy Holly part feels wasteful; he reportedly lacked time to play Jimmie.
  • Roth’s predicted next-great-star trajectory is questioned despite strong work in this film, Reservoir Dogs and Rob Roy.
  • Marvin’s visible dummy in the trunk is criticized.
  • Bullet holes visible before the divine-intervention shots are criticized.
  • Smoking while drinking a milkshake is considered an unpleasant combination.
  • Craving a cheeseburger after heavy cocaine use is questioned.
  • Older pop-culture references may no longer register.
  • The cab’s rear projection is defended as a deliberate old-movie homage.
  • Tarantino’s acting is defended in retrospect, especially opposite Keitel over linens; his angry tone toward Jules is the specific stretch considered unsuccessful.