Pulp Fiction (1994)

"Pulp Fiction" is actually composed of several "pulp fictions," lurid, overlapping stories that take place in Los Angeles. In one story, Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta) must recover an enigmatic briefcase belonging to their mobster boss, Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), from a group of unfortunate slackers. After they've done so, an unfortunate accident forces them to enlist the clean-up and disposal services of Jules' unwilling friend Jimmy (Quentin Tarantino) and the Wolf (Harvey Keitel). Like many of the stories in "Pulp Fiction," this is as much about the characters' conversations as it is about plot: here, this means cheeseburgers and foot massages. Another story concerns Vincent Vega, whom Marcellus has asked to entertain his wife, Mia (Uma Thurman) while he's out of town. They have a great time, but the evening takes a turn for the worst when Mia overdoses on heroin she finds in Vincent's jacket, and he has to save her life so his boss won't take his. In another story, a boxer, Butch (Bruce Willis), whom Marcellus has paid to fix a fight double crosses the mobster, and must escape L. A. However, first he must reclaim a wrist watch belonging to his dead father and inadvertently left behind by his girlfriend. His attempt to do so leads to confrontations with Vincent Vega, Marcellus Wallace, and a gang of pawnshop hillbillies. The final story takes place after Vincent and Jules leave the Wolf. At a diner, Jules confesses that he's recently decided to give up all mobster activities: instead, he'll walk the earth. He also explains why he doesn't eat bacon. Unfortunately, Jules faces a final test, as two criminal lovebirds, Pumpkin and Honey Bunny (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) attempt to rob the diner, and he must convince them not to take Marcellus' briefcase without having to kill them.