Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Pulp Fiction

By Marjorie Kase, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Tarantino's masterpiece. Entertaining, yet violent.

Movie R 1994 154 minutes
Pulp Fiction Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 15+

Based on 85 parent reviews

Hilary_Saquetez104
Hilary_Saquetez104 Adult
July 18, 2021
age 13+

Amazing for Teens 13 and Up!

Okay let me just say something about Pulp Fiction and the rape scene, many people believe that this scene alone gives the movie an 18+, but you can really just skip it, it's quick and even if you don't skip it it's still not 18 plus it doesn't even show anything apart from the victims face as he is in pain (But I still recommend skipping it), other than that the violence is tamer than people say it is. One or two shootings (with blood) and around 6 or 7 shootings in total (many without blood). In my opinion once you hit 13 kids are mature enough to hear any amounts of language and in this film you really forget about it but yes there are 200 f-bombs. There are one or two sexual references some played for laughs and are quick and over before you know it. And now drug use, I think drug use is the main problem for kids in this film, a man injects heron in his arm as a result he gets high but this doesn't go so well for him so if anything it's a lesson to not take drugs. Same goes for the scene where Mia overdoses on cocaine, she almost dies because of this. There is also some drugs talk and characters smoke cigarettes frequently but keep in mind it's a crime movie so that's a given. Other than that I think a lot of the violence and language will be tuned out or forgotten by kids and the rape and drug use can easily be skipped over quickly. One thing often forgotten by parents watching this film is that it actually has a good message (Spoilers right here) the main character dies because he is foolish and almost plays around with crime and drugs, and the other main character (Samuel L. Jackson's) turns down continuing the life of crime because he knows it will only hurt him from there. It's a story of redemption, greed, crime and to a far and exaggerated extent, humanity. So please take your teens put on this movie for 2 and a Half hours (Skip the rape scene) and see what one of the most creatively revolutionary films is like.
Mary Clare P.
Mary Clare P. Adult
December 21, 2022
age 13+

LISTEN: THIS RATING IS INACCURATE!!

They said references to “Burger King” under product placement, when in fact a “Quarter Pounder with Cheese” is a MCDONALD’S product, furthermore they stated it holds the number 1 spot for most uses for the word “fuck” when in fact it is ranked 38 on that last (source: Wikipedia) THIS HIGHLIGHTS HOW POORLY RESEARCHED THESE REVIEWS ARE.
See all 85 parent reviews

What's the Story?

PULP FICTION combines four storylines, revealing them in a non-linear fashion, using an immense all-star cast of characters connected in seemingly random ways. They include professional hit men Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vince (John Travolta), their powerful drug-dealing boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), Wallace's wife, Mia (Uma Thurman), aging boxer Butch (Bruce Willis), and a host of others. Each character encounters each other throughout the film, resulting in a chain of events that changes the course of their lives.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (85 ):
Kids say (206 ):

This movie boasts groundbreaking direction, cinematography, screenwriting, soundtrack, and extraordinary performances (particularly by Thurman, Travolta, and Jackson). Pulp Fiction had an immeasurable impact on both mainstream and independent filmmaking in the '90s. Despite the film's innovation and success, however, the extreme violence and sexual content featured in the film makes it wholly inappropriate for kids and all but the most mature teens.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's popularity, despite its majorly mature content. What role did sex, violence, drug use, and language play in this film's success? Did you find anything here offensive -- or does the humorous tone somehow soften the content?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate