This is without doubt Tarantino's best film, I have seen almost all of his movies, and this is the one that sticks out in my memory. Almost every line in the movie makes for a great quote. One of John Travolta's best films, and Samuel L. Jackson is excellent as always. There is however a good deal of violence. Lots of blood and gore, a couple very violent scenes are set in a very humorous tone. (Man accidentally shot in the face, sets off comedic dialogue.) There is a torture scene, a man is slashed by a katana, a man is shot in the private area, another person is shot in the leg, a guy gets run over by a car, etc... etc... As for langauge... Well this movie actually set the record for the most uses of the F-word in a single film. 271 to be exact, also quite a few racial slurs, as well as other various assorted cussing. Also, there is some sexual content, implied oral sex (appears off screen), a man is briefly shown being raped... etc... Yet another major factor would be the drug use, many characters "shoot up" with heroin, one girl overdoses, main characters use drugs like some would take aspirin. All in all, Pulp Fiction is one of the most entertaining films of its genre. It should be OK for most older teens.
Pulp Fiction
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Tarantino's masterpiece. Entertaining, yet violent.
Why We Rated This 
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Pulp Fiction was written by Marjorie Kase
Parents need to know that this film glorifies violence, drug use, and sexual themes. Gunplay, robbery, swearing, drug use, drug dealing, lying, cheating, violence, male rape, sadomasochism, and driving under the influence. A character is shot in the face and it's played for jokes. In one extremely graphic scene (one that supposedly incited seizures in some epileptic audience members), a character plunges a syringe into a woman's chest to save her from experiencing a heroin overdose. The director seems to mock product placement by featuring original brands created for the film.
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More on Pulp Fiction
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 (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?
Due mostly in part to its 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.
Movie Details
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Director: Quentin Tarantino
Run time: 154 minutes
Theatrical release: 10/14/1994, DVD release: 5/19/1998
MPAA Rating: R for strong graphic violence and drug use, pervasive strong language and some sexuality.
Run time: 154 minutes
Theatrical release: 10/14/1994, DVD release: 5/19/1998
MPAA Rating: R for strong graphic violence and drug use, pervasive strong language and some sexuality.
Our Members Say
See all 32 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title iffy for age 16 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Tarantino's Masterpiece.
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Lives in VirginiaI rate this title on for age 16 and give it- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
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I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Excellent, excellent film
Obviously, Pulp Fiction is Tarantino's best work, and I've seen all of his films except for Death Proof. In Pulp Fiction, Tarantino combines 4 plots that seem like they're unrelated...but they all end up that way (in true Tarantino fashion). Not only does this film have some truly great scenes that have become alluded to everywhere, the dialogue is some of the best ever (funny and extremely quotable). John Travolta is at his absolute best in this movie, and Samuel L. Jackson is good as always, right up to the level of his roles in Jackie Brown (also by Tarantino) and Snakes on a Plane. But it's not for kids...no surprise there. Violence? Yeah, there's lots of it. Maybe Tarantino ordered an entire silo full of fake blood, as it's put to good use here. Guns are used a lot, but katanas (Japanese swords) are used in one scene. In terms of bad language, keep in mind that about 2 f-bombs are dropped every minute (265 f-bombs in 164 minutes). There's milder language, too. In terms of sex, there's a brief rape and some S&M activity (both rather undetailed). Finally, the drug use in Pulp Fiction is extremely graphic. I cringed when I saw Vincent shooting up heroin (especially when a glob of his blood swirls around inside the heroin solution before he injects). Also, there's a scene with Mia snorting some of Vincent's high-potency heroin he injected in that earlier scene. She overdoses; her face is bloody, and she's foaming from the mouth. Then, there's a scene a lot of people talk about: someone stabs a syringe filled with epinephrine in Mia's chest (it's graphic). But even with all this bad content...Pulp Fiction's an excellent film. No doubt about that. It's worth much more than that $5 milkshake, tastier than that Big Kahuna burger...and not for kids under 14. UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. But KNOW YOUR KID.
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I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
perfect
awsome even better than resavoir dogs.
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I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
NOT FOR KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This movie almost got an NC-17 for it's violence and language, which concerns me most. The sex really to me is not an issue, but still it's not for kids okay.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
Perfect for kids 10 and up
I love it, because it's funny and it entertains all of us, but the could have cut down on the violence and swearing
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I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Royale With Cheese!
All I can say is this movie is THE, Royale With Cheese! Nothing a mature 14-15 year old could not handle!
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I rate this title off for age 16 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
Watch with caution.
This movie is is full of cuss words and racial slurs. However the movies violence is almost always off screen. There are only a few deaths visible and a few are implied without showing any violence. The only sex is brief when a man is raped by a security guard. The film has drug use but it portrays drugs to be hazardous. Also there are many positive messages such as forgiveness and right doing. This is a great movie.
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I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Not for anyone
This movie is defenantly NOT and I mean NOT for kids. Sure older teens and adults will find it funny but most parents will find the drug content and the violence innapropriate for their kids. Sexual content is extremely heavy too in humourus ways. Language is defenately an issue. this movie has language most kids(including me) can't use. This movie right down to the punch line is bad.
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I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
It's not too violent for a tarantino movie, but there is plenty of sex, profanity and drug use. I saw it when I was 12. Everybody's different, but it's not as bad as most people say it is.
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I rate this title pause for age 17 and give it
Dark Comedy goes to the Extreme
A must see for everyone over the age of 17
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I rate this title pause for age 15 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 15 and give it
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I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
the greatest movie of all time
probably the most innapropriate movie iv'e ever seen this movie has over 300 f words and the drug use is so graphic and realistic i was sick. and some of the violence is extremly disturbing. there is a gay rape and off screen oral sex(we here her say give me oral pleasure he bends to her privates and she moans)and lots of other extremly graphic sexual comments. I still dont belive i saw this movie. but none the less the greatest movie of all time
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I rate this title pause for age 15 and give it
Masterpeice, but be warned...
I am 12 years old right now. I first saw Pulp fiction when I was home alone at 12:30 (Babysitting)and it was awesome. Most of the bad stuff was censored, but some scenes nearly made my heart stop. I saw it on amc, and several days after I went to blockbuster and rented it. It is much worse content wise on DVD, but much better. If your kid begs you to watch it, look on TV guide and see if its on. Let them see it on television first. Based on how they liked it, decide if they are mature enough to handle the DVD version.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
great film
This is overall a great film for teens and up. although there are 2 parts that i found pretty disturbing. they were the nonexplicit male rape scene and the scene were the girl was bleeding and vomiting after snorting coke. even 11 or 12 and up would be ok if u fast forward those scenes.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
A Masterpiece.
Most deffinately one of the greatest films not only from Quentin Tarantino, but from a human being. Absolutely terrific film. Mixes dialogue with action, and seriousness with humor. All-over genious film.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title off for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title off for age 0 and give it
ill nans hans
k tarantino, is a tank...yo he makes the illest movies ever....wow but he hasnt made very many :( ok but this movie is bad,,,,,,its bad for on scene and pretty much only one scene..the male rape..omg i was like :O wat the eff ?? lol it was pretty narst..but other than that the violence wasnt THAT bad..like there was one scene where they blow a guys head off....but im not gonnna lie it was pretty tAME FOR TARANTINO...so...just dont watch the rape scene....or like the heroine shoot up scenes..but ya other than that..its fine
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 75% | of parents say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking |
| 50% | of parents don't feel there are good role models |
| 50% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 50% | of parents say they notice product placement |
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