Everybody loves a good caper flick, right? Danny Turkiewicz's inaugural dance with filmmaking, "Stealing Pulp Fiction," bravely tries to be just that, with a slathering of self-reflexivity and a breezy air. The plot? Two befuddled friends attempting to swindle Quentin Tarantino's personal 35mm film print of the iconic "Pulp Fiction”. It sounds fun, but in execution, it ends up falling into rough draft territory, with comedy and substance jostling for space.

As the title suggests, “Stealing Pulp Fiction” teems with music and film references, plus a playful score that takes a leaf from the movie that lends its name. However, the film's self-aware streak doesn't land as mighty as it hints initially. Homage to Tarantino? Check. Creative mimicry? Double-check. These nods to the maestro just somehow don't manage to set the tone right.

The duo that plots the caper, Jonathan (Jon Rudnitsky) and Steve (Karan Soni), start as film nerds with big ideas but short on implementation - like a cinematic speakeasy, which they plan to stock with their hot loot. However, Tarantino and films soon take a backseat, and scoring a quick buck becomes the new motive.

Joining them in their reel thievery is their friend Elizabeth (Cazzie David), who's only included in the plot due to her healthy hatred for anything Tarantino. As to why burning a valuable film print ensures success, that's beyond anyone's guess, much like several other plot and character adjustments that pop out of nowhere.

Blame it on questionable counseling or plain desperation, but the hapless duo even embarks on a side caper at the office of their shared therapist, Dr. Mendelbaum (Jason Alexander). Now, what this has to do with film theft or money-making is something that eludes us, but hey, we're here for the comic ride. But the ride gets jerky, as sudden music drops mark rather than boost comedic payoff.

In between all the chaos, there's a speck of heartwarming camaraderie between Jonathan and Steve, thanks to Rudnitsky and Soni's natural chemistry, despite their characters seemingly being from two filmmaking universes. Unfortunately, the storyline doesn't do much justice to their camaraderie or to the development of their characters' interesting shared life.

For three decades, "Pulp Fiction" influenced countless filmmakers, as Tarantino's track record of injecting B-movies with new life did. Perhaps "Stealing Pulp Fiction" could have picked a leaf from another film-“Inglourious Basterds”-for inspiration. It has a similar pattern of heist but with more vigor, more blood, and coincidentally, it also happens in a movie theater. Unfortunately, this self-realization comes too late into the play, well after its energy has begun to fizzle.

As a comedy-heist flick based on stealing an iconic print from a celebrated director, there were plenty of targets for humor, but the theme keeps shifting, ideas keep changing, and hence the aim remains elusive. Is it about Jonathan and Steven’s love for film? Or is about their bromance signature setting? The disjointedness makes it tough to settle and follow any particular thread.

Finally, the joking references, even if they intend to tickle cinephiles, never quite amount to genuine laughs, nor does the erratic heist offer much thrill. “Stealing Pulp Fiction” may not be a riot of a comedy or a gripping heist, but sure, at least it gave it a shot.