This is one of those films I used to say doesn't have a plot. It's one of those films where "a bunch of stuff happens" without much purpose. I feel like stories should have a premise, a climax and a conclusion, maybe with some interesting plot twists along the way. However, despite not having these elements - or rather, not having them in a traditional way - I don't feel like this iss detrimental to the film at all. It was entertaining and an interesting look at life and crime. I would call this style of movie a "study".
To me, there are four separate micro-plots:
- A) The two hit-men that end up having to clean up the mess from a dead body in the back of their car
- B) The story of Marsellus Wallace's wife overdosing
- C) Butch (Brice Willis), on the run, going back to collect his gold watch and almost getting raped in the process
- D) The restaurant hold-up scene
These four incidents are entirely unrelated, except that some of them happen to the same characters. This, in my opinion actually makes the movie feel more real. In life, we don't have one big problem, we have multiple problems that we have to deal with all the time. We interact with different sets of people about different sets of things. Sometimes two separate problems will include some of the same people. It's also worth noting that they aren't shown in a linear chronological order. What appears to be the conclusion - where Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) interrupts the restaurant scene actually includes Vincent (John Travolta) who had been shot in a previous scene. This style is quite interesting from a storytelling perspective and despite it being seemingly confusing, the order of events is actually easy to figure out since there are subtle links between them. Vincent, it would seem, is the main one. He talks about having to take out Marsellus' wife (B) near the start of storyline A. He is still wearing the T-shirt he changed into during A in the restaurant in D, and he dies in storyline C. The order must then be ADBC.
There is also a certain amount of black humour in this movie. Two Hitmen discussing what to call a quarter pounder in France, on their way to murder three people, is somewhat ironic. They are discussing something that not only has absolutely nothing to do with the plot, but also the sort of thing two friends would discuss casually. They would certainly have fun discussing it, but its not usually the kind of thing that you would find in a movie. This style is actually very similar to Kevin Smith's style of writing, especially the likes of "clerks". The characters spend an unusual amount of time talking - often for no particular reason - but it's accurate. People really do talk. A lot. Often about things that aren't at all related to their current situation.
Oddly enough this isn't usually the kind of movie I would expect to enjoy. I'm not particularly into gangster movies but I have enjoyed most of the ones that I have watched on this list. Perhaps its is then best to stick to the ones that are on this list because they are obviously the very best, selected from a wide range of average films.
All in all, a good movie. It's obviously quite unique and still very entertaining.
