Once Upon A Time In Hollywood - Review Thread

There are so many talented, unique, and visionary filmmakers that we've been graced with throughout cinema's history. We revere the auteur that can make movies that are undeniably their own, crafting a great piece of art and entertainment while showcasing signature traits and stylistic choices that viewers and imitators flock to. Perhaps no contemporary filmmaker carries the clout that Quentin Tarantino does when it comes to this idea of operating under the surface of simple genre pictures while making films that are anything but. It's not a western or a heist film; it's a Tarantino film through and through, for better or worse. Even the casual filmgoer is well versed in the trademark Tarantino-isms in his films from the sharp and long-winded dialogue to his colorful characters, and at times I wonder if we actually aren't giving filmmakers like Tarantino or a Wes Anderson enough credit for being so adept at creating films so uniquely theirs. Sure, their quirks aren't going to work for everyone and even outright alienate some, but in an age of bland and uninspired films being pumped out by studios and for hire directors, it's a thrill to walk into a movie like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and know you're about to watch something better. Having said that, despite the lofty expectations I went into the film with, Tarantino's latest is certainly among his lesser efforts (of which even then are still very good movies) more akin to The Hateful Eight than what I had hoped would be more Pulp Fiction. And yet, even if Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood isn't quite the masterwork it could have been, it's another strong entry in Tarantino's resume and another cinematic journey into the mind of a true auteur in every sense of the title that's impossible not to appreciate and admire.

Tarantino has always had an affinity for the cinema of the 1960s and 1970s, from the classics to the B-pictures and everything in-between, so it's not surprise that he's set his newest work in 1969 Hollywood. It was a time where the old Hollywood was giving way to unique filmmaking perspectives, movies that were more relevant and mirrored the current climate, and when the Hays Code had just been lifted and censorship in American cinema was, largely, lifted. It's a time of personal expression across the country, and that movement has now found its way to Hollywood, and everything feels artistically unbound and exciting. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, fittingly, is a film that leans on its immense star power to tell its story. It largely focuses on Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a western television star who has seen his days as a leading man slipping away and is coming to grips with becoming a Hollywood irrelevant. Rick's best friend and stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), is mired in an even worse slump and bout with career depression as a stunt man that can no longer get consistent work to an odd and undercooked subplot involving him possibly murdering his wife on a boat in a sort of curious nod to Natalie Wood's death in the 1980s. Living next door to Rick is actual real-life movie star Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who represents the innocent basking in of all things peace and love that the 1960s has to offer. Tate doesn't have much of a narrative thread in the film though, and the majority of the run time is dedicated to Rick trying to reestablish his career and Cliff's run-ins with members of the Manson clan.

Aside from the climactic finale, there aren't many twists and turns or big moments that entirely stand out, but rather Tarantino is leaning on his A-listers to deliver a fun, breezy time for nearly three hours, a move that works and doesn't work despite great dialogue and performances to power it along. It's meandering but never uninteresting or dull, as it's easy to get swept up in the natural charms of DiCaprio, Pitt, and Robbie as they gleefully spout Tarantino's signature long-winded exchanges. Sure, things are happening, and those things are a lot of fun, but this is also a film that certainly feels like its lengthy running time and will undoubtedly try the patience of people expecting more Manson nastiness and less palling around by Rick and Cliff. But when looking back on the film, Tarantino is not going the conventional route here of presenting 1969 as the cynical end of free love for the impending dark nature the world really embodies, nor is he making any political statements about America, Hollywood as an industry, or living in hedonism and being naive to the harsh realities around them. No, Tarantino is purely basking in happy nostalgia here, nothing more, nothing less. This was the time when there were still real movie stars and still unbridled optimism that good people could change the world, and Tarantino is not interested in stepping outside of that bubble. It's odd that I keep coming back to the notion that Tarantino has played things safe here because it's just not a term I'd ever use for his work, but I think it does apply here. I enjoyed Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but reflecting on the film and the direction it takes it's evident that Tarantino had the blueprint for something grander and more remarkable and opted not to pursue these routes. Obstacles are fairly easily overcome, the large supporting cast of notables like Al Pacino and Kurt Russell have undercooked characters, and it really doesn't even fully grapple with the idea of a fading star coming to terms with this crisis. Again, the blueprint is there, but it pains me to say that Tarantino, who has never been shy to be bold and to go for the exploitive, explosive fare, just doesn't steer much of this into the territory he could have. But then again not all films are plot driven, and to Tarantino's credit even the weaker scenes are never anything less than compelling and entertaining to watch. I have many issues with the film, but I also have a lot to admire about it as well, in particular Tarantino's ability to absolutely nail the aesthetic and exuberant feeling of being in 1969 Hollywood amidst its most glamorous inhabitants. This is an unabashed love letter to a bygone era, and that's really about it.

The twist ending is an interesting idea but also one that feels like a letdown as well. We're subjected to some hilariously cartoony violence and then an ending that's unexpected but does little more than to continue the rose-colored glasses approach to the 1960s that Tarantino has been peddling all film. It's almost like by changing history, Tarantino is looking to just keep letting the good times roll instead of focusing on the ramifications that Sharon Tate's murder had on signaling the end of this flower power mentality. It's just not as interesting an angle within a film that doesn't present a whole lot thematically divisive in the first place. It actually raised more questions for me than left me satisfied with the optimism Tarantino is displaying, but I can also understand why he'd go for the tasteful route (this is coming from the director who cites Ilsa: She-Wolf of the S.S. as one of his favorites) and not muck up the goodwill he's built up over the last two-and-a-half hours. I want to write more, but I don't really have much else to say. I have issues with the film, and yet I also really enjoyed it and had a great time being in Tarantino's world and seeing DiCaprio and Pitt feed off each other as well as they did. The film is full of Tarantino's encyclopedia for cinema flourishes from the spot-on recreation of 1950s and 1960s westerns to hilarious commercials and ad spots that fading stars like Rick found themselves being forced to perform in. Tarantino is so great at not just placing you into a particular epoch but making it a living world that draws the audience in. His attention to detail is incredible, and another testament to what a difference a film under someone with actual vision is compared to the assembly line movies the studios usually plop out. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has many flaws, none of which are overly critical but flaws nonetheless, and doesn't steer itself towards more interesting territory that could have made the film on the level of Pulp Fiction, but it's also a highly entertaining piece of nostalgia that's bolstered by Tarantino's usual flair for staging unique and memorable scenes as well as the incredible star power that DiCaprio and Pitt bring. They don't make movies like this anymore (or did they ever?), and maybe that's what Tarantino is trying to bring back.

8/10