On Mia Wallace & Vincent Vega

Pulp Fiction's most intoxicating scene.

To start this off, let’s discuss Uma Thurman.

Uma Thurman, for many men, is what you could call a ‘problematic WB’ (would bang). Many men find Uma’s face off-putting and unattractive. I understand their position and I do not hold it. Uma has wide set eyes, a slightly larger nose and is racially ambiguous. Uma Thurman’s father is ‘American’ (Scottish, English and German) and her mother is Mexican. Uma has sexy, full lips. Say what you will about Uma Thurman’s eyes, but they’re undoubtedly mysterious and alluring. Uma’s father Robert Thurman, one of the world’s most prolific professors on Tibetan Buddhism. She was raised Buddhist.

In Pulp Fiction, Uma Thurman plays Mia Wallace, the wife of a black criminal boss named Marcellus Wallace. Let’s leave aside the coal burning element to this story for the sake of continuing the essay (please). Mia’s husband asks one of his hitmen, Vincent Vega (played by John Travolta) to keep her company while he’s out of town and to show her a good time. There are two scenes before Mia is introduced to Vincent where a bunch men laugh at him. Essentially, they warn him that he’s NGMI.

Mia invites Vincent inside her apartment from a home speaker system and teases him while he paces around her home nervously while she snorts coke and gets ready. Immediately you know that Mia is aware of the power that she holds over men.

Mia and Vincent then go to an 50’s styled restaurant with a dance floor, sit down and awkwardly make small talk. In this scene you learn that Mia has a down to earth, relatable side after she tells some embarrassing stories about herself. Before I keep going, let’s discuss Vincent Vega.

It’s difficult to describe Vincent Vega without using the indefinable word ‘cool’. Vincent is cool. Vincent doesn’t really give a shit about anything. Vincent was hired to do a job and doesn’t worry much about the ‘whys’ of the world, as we learn later during his theological discussion with Jules (played by Samuel L. Jackson). Vincent is handsome, dresses well and does high end drugs when he can and still gets shit done. Vincent just wants to get paid. Above all, Vincent Vega is practical.

Moving on. Mia and Vincent continue their date by pushing themselves through forced small talk. Vincent doesn’t really want to be there but he’s being paid to be there. He’s not trying to fuck Mia. He just wants to do what he has to do then go home. Both Mia and Vincent both look visibly uncomfortable. Then suddenly, Mia breaks the awkward silence.