John Travolta: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

2. Vincent Vega - Pulp Fiction (1994)

Travolta was steadily sagging just before the release of Pulp Fiction, appearing in the Look Who's Talking franchise until it had gone seriously stale just for a pay cheque. The role of Vega re-energised his career, rekindling the same kind of buzz that had surrounded the star in the late 70s and 80s. Quentin Tarantino's success has been built on his ability to write some of the most interesting and innovative contemporary movie dialogue, and Travolta's exchange with Samuel L Jackson about the differences between American and European McDonald's restaurants is not only one of the most memorable discussions in crime movie history, but also remains on a subtle, ingenious level as one of the best. Travolta is given some thick lengths of screen time in Pulp Fiction, and he doesn't waste an inch, skilfully portraying a character who varies from a vicious assassin, to a drug user, to a dance floor champ, and finally - when his boss' girl snorts the wrong bag - to a frightened little mouse. It's a performance that will help to define Travolta for as long as he continues to remain a Hollywood star, and some argue that he is yet to better it.