Pulp Fiction has long been the inspiration for a number of films and the Pawn Shop Chronicles is no exception. Entirely Tarantino-esque in it’s delivery and featuring reasonable acting from Brendan Fraser, Matt Dillon and one of the last performances of Paul Walker, the B-grade film sees several stories interconnect in a bizarre small Southern town spanning an entire day, all involving said pawn shop. There’s meth addicts, white supremacists, missing wives, tortured porn addicts, car crashes, an Elvis impersonator and someone who may or may not be the devil.
The gruesome brutality, random sequences and bizarre structure end up forming a crazy kaleidoscope of a film that isn’t bad enough to be funny nor good enough to actually be respectable. While screenwriter Adam Minarovish and director Wayne Kramer seem to believe that the makings of a peculiar but unforgettable B-grade film rest with the formulaic elements they included, there are very few laugh out loud moments or any sign of unique inspiration incorporated.
It’s aimlessness and stupidity may appeal to some wanting slapstick, caricatures or an intense torture scene, but overall this pointless, wannabe film is not for the easily offended or anyone seeking smart humour.
4/20.
Published in Filmink Magazine, 10 March, 2014.
Eden Caceda 