You know the feeling. You’ve just finished watching Pulp Fiction for the umpteenth time and now you need a new twisted thriller to satisfy your craving. Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece set the bar high with its darkly comedic crime capers, witty dialogue, and eclectic characters. Where can you turn for that same mix of stylized violence, offbeat humour, and nonlinear storytelling? Well look no further, we’ve got you covered with 10 movies that come close to capturing the magic of Pulp Fiction.
From gritty gangster films to mind-bending mysteries, these movies are guaranteed to give you the same rush of adrenaline and endorphins as Vincent Vega with a syringe of adrenaline. So grab some popcorn, crank up the volume, and get ready for a wild ride with these Pulp Fiction-esque thrillers.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs is Quentin Tarantino’s directorial debut, and it’s a doozy. Like Pulp Fiction, it features a nonlinear plot, dark humour, and violence. It centres around a group of criminals who assemble to pull off a diamond heist.
As the story unfolds, you discover the backstories of Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, Mr. Brown, Mr. Orange, Mr. Pink, and Mr. White. Their real names and connections to each other are shrouded in mystery. After the heist goes awry, suspicions arise that one of them is a police informant.
Jackie Brown (1997)
Jackie Brown is one of Quentin Tarantino’s most underrated films. Released in 1997, it’s a sharp, stylish crime thriller adapted from Elmore Leonard’s novel Rum Punch.
The story follows a middle-aged flight attendant named Jackie Brown who smuggles money for an arms dealer named Ordell Robbie. When Jackie is caught by federal agents, she devises a plan to play the FBI and Ordell against each other. Pam Grier gives a fantastic performance in the lead role, portraying Jackie as a quick-witted and determined woman trying to survive impossible circumstances.
Kill Bill (2003)
The second film in Quentin Tarantino’s unofficial “revenge trilogy,” Kill Bill follows The Bride, a former assassin seeking revenge against the team of assassins who betrayed her – including Bill, her former master and the father of her child.
Much like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill is a highly stylized thriller known for its over-the-top violence and action sequences. It has a similar nonlinear storytelling structure, dark humour, and eclectic soundtrack. The films share Tarantino’s signature directorial style with unforgettable characters and razor-sharp dialogue. if you enjoyed the adrenaline rush of watching Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, you’ll love seeing The Bride take on O-Ren Ishii and the Crazy 88.
Memento (2000)
Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending thriller Memento is a perfect choice if you enjoyed the nonlinear style and dark tone of Pulp Fiction. Like Tarantino’s film, Memento employs an unconventional narrative structure, using two timelines that unfold simultaneously.
The story is told through two converging timelines: one in colour moving backwards in time, and one in black-and-white moving forward. Leonard Shelby, played by Guy Pearce, is searching for the man who raped and murdered his wife. However, Leonard suffers from anterograde amnesia, meaning he is unable to form new memories. He relies on notes, photos, and tattoos to help him in his quest for vengeance.
In Bruges (2008)
In Bruges is a dark comedy crime film set in the fairy-tale city of Bruges, Belgium. Two Irish hitmen, Ray and Ken, are sent on a job to Bruges by their boss Harry. After Ken accidentally kills a boy on the job, he is racked with guilt. Ray, on the other hand, embraces the charms of Bruges.
While the plot revolves around violence and crime like Pulp Fiction, In Bruges has a strong comedic and philosophical undertone. The medieval setting of Bruges acts as a purgatory for the hitmen to contemplate morality and find redemption. Like Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, Ray and Ken represent opposite ends of a moral spectrum. Their witty and crude banter will have you laughing throughout the film.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
If you enjoyed the dark humor and nonlinear storytelling of Pulp Fiction, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels should be next on your list. This stylish British crime comedy from 1998 was the directorial debut of Guy Ritchie and helped launch the careers of Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones.
The plot revolves around a group of friends who lose a high-stakes poker game and now owe half a million pounds to a dangerous crime lord. To come up with the money, they devise a plan to rob a group of thieves who are planning to rob a group of card players. As you can imagine, things quickly spiral out of control with double-crosses, mistaken identities, and plot twists galore.
Snatch (2000)
Snatch is a stylish crime caper from director Guy Ritchie, in a similar vein as Pulp Fiction. Set in the London criminal underworld, the plot revolves around stolen diamonds and features multiple storylines that ultimately intersect.
The film has a similar darkly comedic tone and nonlinear storyline as Pulp Fiction. It’s filled with quirky and eccentric British gangsters, witty dialogue, and clever plot twists. Like Pulp Fiction, the story is told out of chronological order, gradually revealing connections between characters and events.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
The Usual Suspects is another twisted crime thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. This neo-noir mystery film from 1995 was directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie.
The story follows Roger “Verbal” Kint, a con man with a disability who is being interrogated by Agent Kujan. Verbal recounts the events leading up to a fire on a ship docked in a harbour, as Kujan tries to determine the identities of the perpetrators. Verbal’s elaborate story describes five criminals who were rounded up for a police line-up: Dean Keaton, a corrupt former police officer; Michael McManus, a short-tempered thief; Fred Fenster, whose muddled speech is hard to understand; Todd Hockney, a quiet hijacker; and Verbal himself.
The Killing (1956)
The Killing is a film noir crime thriller from 1956 directed by Stanley Kubrick. This tightly-crafted heist film will keep you guessing until the end.
When small-time criminal Johnny Clay devises a plan to rob a racetrack, things quickly spiral out of control. He assembles a crew to help pull off the job, including corrupt police officers and a hired gun. However, Clay’s associates each have their own agenda and nothing goes as planned. Greed, jealousy and double-crosses abound, leading to a dramatic climax.
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
From Dusk Till Dawn is a pulpy crime thriller from Robert Rodriguez, released in 1996. This stylish and outrageous film stars George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino as the Gecko brothers, two dangerous outlaws on the run from the law. After taking a family hostage, the group ends up stuck in a seedy Mexican bar that turns out to be filled with vampires.
This over-the-top horror/crime mashup has a similar darkly comedic tone and visual style as Pulp Fiction. Like Tarantino’s film, it features eccentric characters, shocking violence, snappy dialogue and an eclectic soundtrack.
There we have it, our list of 10 best movies like Pulp Fiction. What do you think about our picks? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below: