Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

I knew I would watch this movie the minute the trailer dropped as I am a big fan of Tarantino, like many of my peers. The movie centers around Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), an alcoholic actor, and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his stunt double, who can barely recognize the industry around them. The film is set in the late 1960s and utilizes the "what if" idea on the Tate Murders.

This movie is certainly a timepiece movie with everything pointing at '60s/'70s hippie culture. The clothing, music, and cinematography all represent this vibrant period of time. The soundtrack is phenomenal, as usual, with hits from Deep Purple and Simon and Garfunkel. The cinematography is also up to standard with one specific scene standing out. The scene that comes to mind is a particularly tense scene where Booth confronts a hippie about possibly harming the owner of the land. As they talk the angle of the camera becomes jarringly tilted to create a feeling of unease within the audience and to strengthen the already present tension. Tarantino takes his time with long shots throughout to bring highlight to characters and the environment around them.

Both Pitt and DiCaprio shine in their roles. Booth is a man of mystery throughout, we never find out his backstory yet his character is intriguing, pulling us in. We want to find out more, and what he is truly capable of. Pitt never reveals his tricks yet shows prowess in all scenes he is in. Booth is a mixture of The Dude and an absolute badass. We see him laze around in a very zen mindset for most of the film yet he is capable of jumping from fence to a house with ease and fighting Bruce Lee. In a way, his character is portrayed as an older hippie which is interesting compared to Dalton's dislike for hippies. DiCaprio also gives a convincing performance using a wide range of emotions to show the mental state his character is in. His character represents a certain actor within the late '60s in which they were almost household names but never quite got the chance. The type of actor that never wears makeup and is only seen in macho roles. We see his arc change as he begins to adapt to his new role, he accepts that he must wear a wig and give it his all if he wants to make it in this new landscape. The chemistry both actors share is amazing and we, as the viewer, feel we are witnessing a true friendship.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood shone brightly when it came to individual scenes. Scenes that show the genius behind the camera that is so apt at creating great tension and fantastic mood. The climax does just that. Like most of his films, the climax is a brilliant explosion of action and dialogue. The ending loops everything we see from the entire film into a circle. The ending also completely subverted my expectations as the minute you are introduced to the Manson Family, the viewer recognizes the fate of Sharon Tate. But Tarantino has a passion for changing history (See Inglorious Basterds) and instead we see the Manson Family hippies get brutally kicked the crap out of by none other than Cliff Booth and Rick Dalton with a F#CKING flame thrower. I mean that scene was incredible if not darkly comedic.

Despite some exceptional scenes, soundtrack, and acting, I found this movie slightly underwhelming. There are two reasons why this might be. One: I built a lot of hype for myself prior to watching as the minute this was announced I watched the trailer numerous times and sent it to many of my friends. I read prior that it was on par if not better then Pulp Fiction, that was wrong. Two: I found the plot to tie in together far too loosely. Scenes felt out of place despite being amazing on its own. I understand why Tate was introduced but her presence didn't change the outcome of anything. She had no arc and we barely know what her character is like with only a couple of scenes for reference. I felt that her inclusion was more of a way to cement the viewer in what is to happen next but it feels out of place as her only interaction with the two leads is the last scene (where they don't even speak face to face) and through environment.

I felt like this movie was Tarantino's way of saying thank you and almost goodbye to the medium he loves, cinema. It is a commentary on the cinema world around him. Just like 1969, movies in this day and age are becoming solely big budget with a market that is saturated with crappy and tasteless films. All films that can't get made becomes television with streaming services producing anything and everything they think is remotely marketable. Tarantino also compares the counterculture hippies of '69 to the youth of today who are out to destroy what they once loved. The two leads, Booth and Dalton, represent himself as they look at how quickly the world is changing around them. On the surface it seems like a timepiece with no commentary; a quick watch with some cool clothes and cool vibes, but if you look closer you'll realize the parallels drawn from Once Upon a Time and what is happening right now. With Tarantino stating he will only create one more movie, I can say this movie is definitely nothing for him to be ashamed of.

- GL

7 / 10

(Above) My favourite shot:

 (Below) Runner-ups: