Sadly Over-hyped

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

In the early 1970s, cliché-ridden comedy, understatement, and parody of this type were the thing. TV sitcoms, movies and talk shows all had their share. But, in order for such dated material to age well in time, it has to be in a very good package. With movies, that means a memorable plot, a first-rate screenplay, top notch acting, and very good trappings. "Pulp" has none of that. The idea for the plot is good, if not original. But its development is haphazard, filled with holes and disconnected. While the film has bits of comedy and crime, one never has a sense of mystery. That's because of the whole comedic air, from start to finish, with the lead character's narration. Mickey King's (Michael Caine) clichés, sarcasm and mockery remove any sense of real intrigue or suspense. I agree with another reviewer who found Michael Caine's performance lifeless at times. Only one role seemed worthy of the entire cast – Lionel Stander as Ben Dinuccio. Mickey Rooney was okay as Preston Gilbert, but we had to sit through a long, boring scene of his getting dressed and primping himself while talking mostly gibberish with Caine's King. The script seemed to labor at times to come up with dialog that poked fun at the pulp fiction – or dime detective novels of the past. Just a few of the lines come across as funny these decades later. Those are what earn the film the meager three stars I give it. Here are some samples. Mickey King, "The writer's life would be ideal, but for the writing. That was a problem I had to overcome. Then I read in The Guinness Book of Records about Erle Stanley Gardner, the world's fastest novelist who can dictate up to the rate of 10,000 words a day."Mickey King, "He was wearing a dirty Macintosh. Clairvoyants usually do." Mickey King, "The whole town seemed to be in the grip of a fatal disease. Lockjaw." A guy at the wake, "What kind of bird is that?" Another guy, "A Maltese falcon."

Sir Michael Caine is writer of sleazy pulp novels, he's recruited by a quirky, reclusive ex-actor (Mickey Rooney) to help him write his biography at his house in Malta. 'Pulp' is produced by the '3 Michaels Caine/Klinger Hodges. It's an exceptionally well made and quirky film, which with it's humorous voice-over by Caine not only reflects the on screen action but it also reflects and references film noir. Lioner Stander appears as one of Rooney's hoods, a post Godfather Al Letteri appears as a go-between whom Caine encounters on a Bus trip and who meets a sticky end in a bath tub. Between Caine/Hodges it's a wonderful collaboration it's a shame that they did not produce other gems such as this.

i love this movie because of Caines Mike Hammer style commentary throughout,sometimes witty sometimes plain wrong his private musings are insightful and great.The moment the film starts you just know its going to be quirky'which with most pictures would be the kiss of death.But with this movie it raises it above the average to very good.In the acting stakes Caine is as strong as i have seen him in any of his 70s movies,as is Lionel Stander.But the pleasant surprise comes from Mickey Rooney who as an actor does not rate high in my opinion does a great comedic job sending himself up both as an actor wannabe gangster,and most funny height wise.To right this off as just a comedy would be wrong,some poignant moments seem to show a country sliding slowly and surely into dictatorship. You will either love or hate this film,i do not think there is an in-between.I think most people who give it a try knowing that it is not a mainstream movie will like it.

Mickey King is a jobbing writer, spitting out lurid gangster novels under various fake names with the usual mix of violence and sex making them sell. He is approached to ghost write for an unnamed Hollywood "legend" and, pocketing a nice advance for his troubles, he agrees. He travels by coach to meet his subject and meets several strange characters along the way. One of them ends up dead and King steps into the background to let the police find the body but keep himself out of it – however when the body seemingly disappears he is at a loss to explain it and unable to report it.A misfire this one but one that does have some reasonable ideas within it. The gimmick of king's narration versus what is happening and the simple view of his books versus the complex unfairness of reality is a nice idea but it does not translate into a good film. Those that really like the film (both of them) claim that this is not given enough credit because the majority of viewers don't "get" it but I beg to differ – I think it is rating "average" and remembered as such because of the film itself being just that – average. The gimmick wears thin when you realise that there is nothing else than a poorly delivered mystery. Towards the end there are themes and things of interest that vaguely start to drift out but by then it is too little too late. Comparing it to things like Chinatown is a joke and those that have suggested this have offered nothing by way of justification.The cast are mixed. Caine plays to play into his character and indeed he does get some moments of interest with his essentially harmless character, but as the material thins so does his performance. Rooney is interesting for playing an unusual character but offers little more than novelty value. The rest of the cast fill in around the edges in strange turns here and there. Malta as a setting is filmed with a real lack of interest and comes over as dry and colourless – a visual impression that does not help the material one little bit.Overall then an OK idea falls flat as it brings nothing else of interest to the room. Caine tires of it long before the end so it should be of no surprise if you the viewer do as well.