Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood Review

Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, starring in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood". Courtesy of Sony and Columbia Pictures.

Cliff Booth: "Alright, what’s the matter, partner?"

Rick Dalton: "It’s official, old buddy, I’m a has-been."

The 9th film from Quentin Tarantino is about the golden age of Hollywood. A time where television and films were exploding in popularity. The age where actors were on top of the world and treated like gods, and they still are today, but back during this time, they were treated like they were the greatest people around. When I first find out about Tarantino's new project surrounding this time and the Manson murders with Sharon Tate, I became ultimately intrigued because its Tarantino and he was going to do something wild with this, as he always does. And when he paired Leonardo DiCaprio with Brad Pitt, I knew immediately the film would have some form of entertaining feel to it. "Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood" is a satisfying, film-lovers experience that recreates 1969 to the point where one could consider the film to be a 60s film, just with better production and cameras. It is Tarantino's love letter to Hollywood, showing a emotional side due to the subject at hand. I think this is another hit from Tarantino and will be for many individuals who live in Hollywood, and we as audiences will be able to understand and appreciate what people go through in that town.

"Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood" is about Rick Dalton (aka Leonardo DiCaprio) and his decline as a Television star in 1969, the golden age of Hollywood. He and his good friend, also his stunt double, Cliff Booth (aka Brad Pitt) have some misadventures in Hollywood. They go for drives and just hangout. Until Sharon Tate (aka Margot Robbie) moves into Dalton's neighborhood, Dalton becomes conscious that his star power is dying and knows that he will never get to the level of Sharon Tate. As we follow around with these group of characters, they become entangled with the Manson family, which if anyone knows history, the situation is extremely horrific. This film is essentially characters acting in their films or shows and just hanging out with one another. It runs at 2 hours and 41 minutes, and depending how long you can hold your bladder, the film can feel slow, which is rare for Tarantino. But I personally loved how this was not so in your face, bloody and excessive. Tarantino dialed it back a notch and wanted to recreate this era instead of using history to present paramount violence, especially with the Manson murders. The violence is in the film but not till the very end, which if you get behind the direction that Tarantino gives you, the scene is one of the most gratifying moments in Tarantino's films. But I will discuss that later.

Brad Pitt (left), Leonardo DiCaprio (middle) and Al Pacino (right) in "Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood". Courtesy of Sony and Columbia Pictures.

Firstly, the performances in this film are some of the best I have seen this year. Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his best performances with this character Rick Dalton, who is an actor acting in fictional films. So DiCaprio acts within a film, within films, which shows the board range of emotions that this character goes through. Along with Leo is Brad Pitt, playing a macho stunt man keeping his good friend Dalton in check, by driving him around and being the best stunt double you could ask for. Even though he is seen frown upon because of history he has within the Hollywood industry. These two performances are probably my favorite elements of the film, besides the recreation of 1969. And Tarantino's script shapes and makes these already established characters grow even more through this story. Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate is also a great fit to recreating the historical actress, although she barely has much dialogue in the film.

With all of the performances, essentially, the production design and costumes are seriously mind-blowing in this film. The amount of attention to detail there is with costumes, cars, settings is just impressive to take in. And there is even a 5 minute scene in the film where the settings and costumes are created just for a subjective piece. Yes, and it is absolutely one of the more rewarding parts of the film. Tarantino will create so much just to a singular thing, and most of the time it is to create a joke, which I will discuss the comedy here soon too. But the details that "Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood" displays is some of the best you will witness.

The cinematography is incredible as well. Tarantino is already an established filmmaker and working with Robert Richardson, a 3-time Academy Award winner, most should have a smooth experience with this film. There are some brilliant moments of camera movements and shots that all come together to elevate all of the other aspects that I have stated. What I find the unique part about this cinematography in this film is how Richardson incorporates older style of filmmaking with a newer style of filmmaking in scenes where it is appropriate and vital for the scene. Especially the final sequence in the film. How this whole grand picture is pieced together is just incredible from a filmmaking level.

Of course Tarantino is known for creating screenplays that are different, original and distinctive from most. He likes to make up his own rules from creating one. And in this film, he has outdone himself in the comedy department. "Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood" is, essentially, a monumental comedy. There are many hilarious moments where it deals with making fun of movies, acting or something else that Tarantino thinks of. This screenplay is an original screenplay that shows more of Tarantino's comedy, but there are many elements where his "rule-breaking" can sometimes feel unnecessary. And that is where I questioned myself when I got done watching the film where either I was hoping for more or less? When one watches this film, there is a lot to intake with all of the details I have stated, but when we reach the end, it can feel either as if we were missing a lot more or he could have cut more. But since he recreated the feel of 69' so well, I was almost asking for more, but most audiences today can barely get through a film like this. This brings me to my final point to this film.

Leonardo DiCaprio (left) and Brad Pitt (right) in "Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood". Courtesy of Sony and Columbia Pictures.

A dialed back Tarantino film was absolutely suitable with the subject at hand. Tarantino knew he was treading on dangerous water with dealing the history surrounding the Manson murders and Sharon Tate. And while he can be controversial, Tarantino recreates history in a way where we could remember in a different way, which I was greatly appreciative with. Towards the end of the film, you get the scene the whole film was building towards and when the violence kicks in, I was in an awh of what happened. Nearly screaming "f**k yeah!" but all I could do was roar. While this scene comes late in the film, it is the turning point in Tarantino's fairytale and without spoiling how it plays out, it is just astonishing to witness. This climax paints his film to an overall level that most Hollywood residents will absolutely adore immediately, and I firmly believe that audiences will slowly cherish this film in time, but as of now, I feel like most audiences will have to have the patience to sit and watch a film that is slow, but builds to violent climax. There has to be respect in art and I believe audiences will not respect it right away because it is not what they thought it was going to be, which is a shame.

An eloquent beauty lies within "Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood." And this is a rare gem that comes along that will most likely be torn up by audiences because it is not an "Avengers" type film. There is not much happening in the film when it comes to its narrative, but also there is a lot going on. It is a love letter to Hollywood, but also to film lovers as well. People can experience an original piece of cinema that, again, is hard to come by nowadays. And it is a mortification that audiences will not be able to just sit and experience the art that is showing on the silver screen. "Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood" could serve as an historical piece that will be greatly preserved overtime. I believe the film is a comprehensive, nostalgic and cinematic joy that is entertaining and quite shocking

all around in the details. Tarantino is one of the best directors in cinema, he has created works that will last forever. And here he has outdone himself once again. While it is not his best film, it is another landmark in his career that will be examined and researched, just like this film was, over the course of time. "Hollywood" sure a unique place where "Once Upon A Time" fantasies can and will always exist.

Rating: A

Run Time: 2 Hours 41 Minutes