Idiocy That People Like and I Cannot Stand

Source

Pulp Fiction 

For years people around me have glorified this movie, demanding I watch it and go on and on ad nauseam about how great it is, how original it is, etc. I remember when it first came out. The hype of this movie was over the top, even before it was officially released.


I finally decided to watch it, considering everyone I knew just loved it. "What's it about?" I would ask my friends. "Oh, it's just crazy but it's kind of hard to follow because the beginning is the end and the end is the beginning but, it's just great. I can't describe it but, it's just great."

Yeah, I watched it. I thought it was terrible.

"You didn't like it? How could you not like it? It's like the best movie ever and I just don't think you understood it. It's clear you need to watch it again. I have no idea how you cannot possibly love this movie. Everyone loves this movie." Variations of this statement were hurled my way when I announced my distaste and disliking of this movie. I felt embarrassed for even having an opinion.

Well, maybe I am being too judgmental; maybe I didn't really "get it." I don't know. I just thought it was gawd-awful. The script was completely disjointed and while it did make attempts at being original, it was over the top ridiculous. The violence was at best gratuitous and the characters were completely annoying and there was nothing relatable about them.

So a few years later, I decide to watch it again. Again, it was even more annoying then before and I simply cannot find anything redeemable about this entire movie. Even worse was noticing just how much more infuriating some of the characters were - Bruce Willis has some nutjob for a girlfriend - wow what a freak. Why couldn't someone have slapped her? If anyone deserved a bit of torture it certainly was her.

Well, as you can imagine the backlash I got once again for not going along with the herd and declaring my love for this truly idiotic movie. I was embarrassed. I thought something was wrong with me. I even tried watching this AGAIN. I tried watching while being intoxicated. Nope. Still sucked.

Here I am years later ... over 20 years later and I still run into people who just love this movie and praise it as though it were the best movie that has ever been made. I don't "get it." I never will but, what I find even more frustrating than the movie are the way fans defend this garbage flick.

I couldn't take the loneliness anymore. I had to seek out on the internet and see if there was anyone that shared my opinion. "Please, say I'm not alone." Well, it turns I'm NOT alone. In fact there are indeed a minority of people who are equally brave enough to declare their hatred of this move.

Now why would I describe a person who doesn't like this movie as being "brave"? That sounds a bit exaggerated, maybe it is. Maybe I should use the word gutsy? Fans are cut-throat with the insults they hurl at those who dare question the movie's so-called superiority. There seems to be an immediate rush to express sanctimony toward its critics. It's actually quite insulting and childish but, what is really going on here? Why do people like this movie?

I searched high and low but, there are never too many reasons given. Some people claim the dialogue is great; I suppose men like the violent scenes and find humor in some places. There does appear to be a bit of glorification over a person being a bad-ass and a criminal.

The reality of the situation is that this movie was released in the early 90's and people were becoming more and more interested in independent films. People also were indulging in the avant-garde genre. The off-beat and unusual became the norm. Young people like myself were targeted for these types of films. By the time it was released, the hype was at an all-time screeching pitch. You were either cool and loved this movie or you just didn't count.

I have seen some defenders of this overrated film tell critics a variety of things that range from telling the person they are not smart enough to recognize the genius of this movie and even suggesting that the person just doesn't have enough life experience to understand this film. One must ask exactly what type of experience do you need in life to understand the "genius" of this film? I must be a cracked out whore that gets paid to kill people? No thank you. I can't help but feel grateful that I do not like these characters.

Just to summarize what I don't like about this movie:

1) The characters are dull, two-dimensional, and irritating. Even more perplexing is the fact that the actions are not at all consistent. Tarantino can't even act in his own film and I'm supposed to believe he would talk to a black guy the way he did? John Travolta is supposed to be a hit-man yet, he's dumb enough to swing around a loaded gun in a car, accidentally shooting someone he's speaking to? Uma's character is basically a complete idiot and the entire interaction between her and Travolta is superfluous; it makes no sense. Oh yeah and it's good to see the movie's heroin dealer just so happens to have a shot of adrenaline hanging around his pad because that makes total sense. I should not even have to bring up Bruce Willis and his train-wreck of a story.

2) Pointless dialogue. Everyone appreciates witty humor and funny lines but, most of the dialogue in this movie is merely put in the for the sake of putting in some witty lines. The dialogue does not drive the story along. It's just juvenile. The racist remarks coupled with the copious amount of swearing leaves me cringing. It's just childish and again - pointless.

3) There is NO plot to this movie. You can claim it's three stories tied into one or you can make some claim about how it's genius but, nearly everyone that tries to make these claims cannot explain this movie. Instead they just say stuff like, "well, you just don't get it. It's the greatest movie ever." How can it be so darn great if you can't even put into words what makes it great? The fact is, nobody knows what this movie is about because it doesn't have a plot. It's just scenes smashed together, throw in violence and a ton of profanity and this is what you get. Genius? Hardly. What is genius is that the movie was able to fool so many people into thinking it was genius.

4) The stupid suitcase. This was about the dumbest thing I had ever seen done in a movie. Again, completely pointless and apparently it was originally going to be diamonds but Tarantino decided it was better to make it a mystery. What would have been better is not making this film at all and not subjecting the American public to this stupidity but, hey I just don't "get it." Whatever that means.

5) Pointless violence. I suppose a few of the scenes with violence could have been justified if the movie ended up having a point and purpose however since is doesn't, the violence is just there for the sake of shock and awe. Lame.

There is much more I suppose I could break down but there really is no point in doing so. In fact, I've wasted entirely too much time writing this but I have only done so for the purposes of defending my opinion. While I seem to have a majority of friends who like this movie, I simply cannot and will not jump on this bandwagon. I have tried multiple times at watching this movie, hoping that I might figure out what everyone was so excited over. That just never happened for me.

So tell me what you like about this movie? What makes it so awesome? Have you watched it as a grown adult? Has your opinion changed over time?