Stealing Pulp Fiction

NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! Writer-director Danny Turkiewicz’s colorful, heist comedy, Stealing Pulp Fiction, takes film fandom to a whole new level. We follow film buffs Jonathan (Jon Rudnitsky) and Steve (Karan Soni) who are thrilled to see a midnight screening of Pulp Fiction at Quentin Tarantino’s movie theater. At the screening, the duo learns that the showing will be of Tarantino’s personal 35 mm print of the film.

After having a great time at the screening, Jonathan schemes with Steve to steal the film during its second showing. The dup needs additional help with this crazy heist, so they recruit Elizabeth (Cazzie David), his snarky friend. She’s reluctant to join as she has strong opinions about Tarantino and his weird quirks. In the meantime, Jonathan visits his neurotic therapist, Dr. Mendelbaum (Jason Alexander), newly relocated to a karate dojo. In the waiting room, he falls for one of Mendelbaum’s other patients, Rachel (Taylor Hill). Oddly, during the session, Mendelbaum reveals that he is having marital problems with his wife.

“On the night of the real heist, everything is prepared… until Jonathan notices that Tarantino is in attendance.”

Before attempting the actual heist, Jonathan, Steve, and Elizabeth run a practice heist at the dojo; however, Mendelbaum catches them in the middle of their “crime.” After learning about the real heist, he desperately wants to be involved so he can redeem himself in the eyes of his wife. In a quid pro quo, Jonathan requests that he receive the contact information of the beautiful patient in return. On the night of the real heist, everything is prepared. Our scrappy misfits split up as the film is about to be screened until Jonathan notices that Tarantino (Seager Tennis) himself is in attendance.

In Stealing Pulp Fiction, Turkiewicz delivers a funny and delightfully odd film. Rudnitsky and Soni make a great duo as Jonathan and Steve. Alexander shows off his comedic chops as and brings his typical energy. Joshua Allen’s cinematography has a painterly quality and recalls the rich colors seen in films of the 1970s. Turkiewicz’s screenplay authentically captures the obsessive nature of film buffs through Jonathan’s evolution. Great visual gags are sprinkled throughout, and be on the lookout for a recurring t-shirt gag.

Stealing Pulp Fiction is a must-watch for fans of Quentin Tarantino as Turkiewicz references the famous filmmaker’s trademark techniques and incorporates references to Pulp Fiction throughout. I recommend this to all the cinephiles and comedy connoisseurs out there.

Stealing Pulp Fiction will be screened at the 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival.