Pulp

Equally original and ingenious as it is unpolished, languishing in its aimless weirdness and with an unusually annoying voice-over that goes on and on, while not saying anything at all. You wouldn’t hear so much meaningless prattle even drinking coffee at a two-day Mills and Boon fans convention. Does the previous sentence seem senselessly convoluted, trying to be funny while saying nothing at all? If so, welcome to the world of Mike Hodges’ Pulp. Only Michael Caine holds it back from toppling over the edge of endurability. (11/08/2014)

One of the weaker films with Michael Caine, which is especially surprising considering Get Carter, which M.C. made with director Hodges a year earlier. Even so, there are some very funny moments in Pulp (the absurd assassination scene and the subsequent identification of the attackers lead the way), Cain's monologues telling the story are hilariously parodic, and the slightly manic Mickey Rooney is a joy to behold. However, if anyone else had appeared in the lead role, I would definitely not have given three stars. (21/08/2012)