Chris Flackett
If ever there was a director ripe for parody and pastiche, it’s Quentin Tarantino. He’s someone with very distinct, very OTT attitudes, speech and mannerisms, and his films reflect his very individual, gung-ho sense of pulp/b-movie cool. Stealing Pulp Fiction, the directorial debut from Danny Turkiewicz, uses arguably Tarantino’s most famous film as a vehicle to both celebrate and critique the director, and to have a blast while doing it.
Best friends and cineastes Jonathan (Jon Rudnitsky) and Steve (Karan Soni) happen to attend a midnight screening of Pulp Fiction at Tarantino’s own movie theatre, where it just so happens that the copy being screened is the director’s own 35mm print. Being presented with their own cinematic holy grail, and being strapped for cash, Jonathan and Steve hatch a plan to steal the print at its next screening, roping in the help of cynical Elizabeth (Cazzie David) and their therapist, the eccentric Dr. Mendelbaum (Seinfield legend Jason Alexander). As the night of the big screening approaches, with Tarantino himself (played with manic hilarity by the wonderfully-named Seager Tennis) in attendance, the question isn’t what will go wrong—it’s what will actually go right?
Stealing Pulp Fiction is a lot of fun. There’s a daftness and irreverence to the humour throughout that reminds me of a certain type of comedy that was prevalent in the early 2000s—Napolean Dynamite springs to mind—and while the jokes don’t always land, there’s a lot that do. In particular, the gentle, air-headed Steve, played with a curious sensuality by Soni, is a blast: it shouldn’t be funny to hear a man very gently describe how he’d attack someone with a hammer if they interrupted a burglary, and yet! He also, to much surprise, seems to be the most rounded of the characters, being able to cook well and to dance, all in an effort to impress the love of his life, Elizabeth.
Jason Alexander also stands out, as you might expect, considering his credentials, with his Dr Mendelbaum always appearing to be on the verge of a breakdown and yet approaching life with an endearing child-like innocence. As a therapist, he’s useless, using his notepad to write down the details of any diners his patients may be going to that he might also enjoy, as well as getting his patients to actually listen to his marital problems while he takes on the role as patient. But as a robber, he’s even worse, blabbing to everyone about how they’re about to steal Pulp Fiction and taking a greedy interest in the popcorn of the person sat next to him in the theatre. Oh, and his pickle obsession. Don’t forget the pickles! Mendelbaum is a treat of a character, and Alexander clearly relishes every minute playing him.
Stealing Pulp Fiction is honest in its tribute to Tarantino, and there’s much fun to be had spotting the Tarantino references throughout, such as the font style and chapter headings of Pulp Fiction, a samurai sword on display against a yellow background in a nod to Kill Bill, numerous dialogue-heavy diner scenes, even Elizabeth painting her nails à la Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction. These references help create a fun, celebratory atmosphere, as well as creating the world as perhaps Jonathan and Steve, as Tarantino buffs, would like it to be. Yet, it’s not all a love-in, as the character of Elizabeth does criticize Tarantino vocally in the film for his supposed misogyny and writing of female characters (as well kink-shaming him for his infamous foot fetish—hey, to each their own!)
Perhaps the most risky and yet funniest part of the film is actually having someone act as Quentin Tarantino. There’s a risk that it could take audiences out of the film, especially if the performance is too reverent or unrealistic. Stealing Pulp Fiction gets around this problem by steamrolling through it, leaning into the madness of having someone play Tarantino. Seagar Tennis has the look of Tarantino, but his makeup and prosthetics give him a hilarious plastic quality—he looks like a member of Primus in the video for ‘Wynnona’s Big Brown Beaver‘! The idea of Tarantino sitting front row in his own theatre, watching his own film, while noisly chomping on popcorn and sluping a drink, is brilliant. But, its when he gets angry, as he does, that this ‘Tarantino’ comes into his own, splattering everyone with a machine-gun volley of F-bombs—not much different to the real Tarantino!—as well as chasing a car down the street with murderous intentions. It’s such a crazily over-the-top performance, and it’s wonderful.
As you can probably tell, I really enjoyed Stealing Pulp Fiction, but I would have enjoyed it more if it weren’t for two things. One, the character of Elizabeth is really only there to be the voice of dissent against Tarantino and to be a potential love interest for Steve. We’re never really given any other information about her, and she clearly doesn’t get on with Jonathan, so it’s never really clear how they know each other or why they’re working together. A little more detail to the character would have helped, as Cazzie David did very well with what she had. Secondly, the film builds up to what looks to be a good dramatic crescendo, and then it just kinda… stops. While there is a post-credits sequence that kind of looks to aid the ending, it does feel like the film just fizzles out in its last five or so minutes.
These criticisms aside, Stealing Pulp Fiction is an enjoyable treat, with much humour and some heart, a cineaste’s heart, which it wears proudly on its sleeve. I look forward to whatever Danny Turkiewicz does next.
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