Movie Review -- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

  You know what? I haven't seen all that many Quentin Tarantino movies now that I think about it: just Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds, and some snippets of Kill Bill here and there. So to rectify this I took the opportunity to see his latest one on the big screen, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. So is it worth a watch? Let's take a look.

  Set in 1969, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a story about Rick Dalton, a TV Western star-turned movie actor whose career is just starting to decline. He confides in his best friend and stunt double Cliff Booth who also has trouble finding work due to an incident on The Green Hornet set and rumours that he murdered his wife. Together they try to find their way through the changing face of showbiz while also dealing with some troublesome hippies. It's an interesting story with a methodical pace. If you can cope with its marathon two hours and forty-one minute running time it still manages to be a fun film to watch. But of course the pace certainly picks up towards the end just in time for the hilariously over-the-top ending.

  If you're a fan of 1960's pop culture then you've got to see this movie. The attention to detail is incredible. The 50-year-old cars, fashion, and everyday objects are accurate to a T with all the women in miniskirts and short shorts and all the men with cigarettes in their mouths. There's also too many pop culture references to count. Hardly a minute goes by without hearing a classic song, old-timey advertisement, or radio/TV chatter. And is it any surprise that the soundtrack rocks? (There's not one but two Deep Purple songs!) If Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has one thing going for it, it's that it's a marvellous period piece film.

  Anyone who knows Tarantino movies knows that the 1960's – with the classic music and films – is a period that suits this director just fine. His well-known use of extended suspense comes into play, even going so far as to let a television's creepy music serve as the scene's scoring at one point. Tarantino's trademark awkwardness returns in the form of drawn out conversations and unconventional hygiene right in the camera's face. You'll also find his trademark out-of-sequence cutaways as well as an amusing mid-credits scene. However Tarantino's signature use of over-the-top violence is relegated to only a couple scenes.

  Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's acting is stellar. Leonardo DiCaprio does a fantastic job as the stuttering, borderline-alcoholic nervous wreck Rick Dalton who is easy to sympathize with. He's got great chemistry with the other lead Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt in a very comfortable and fun performance that recalls just a bit of Fight Club's Tyler Durden. Lastly we have Margot Robbie as the fabled Sharon Tate. Robbie gives a charming performance, often forgoing dialogue and relying more on facial expressions, getting her point across just as – if not more – effectively.

  All in all, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood reminds me a lot of 2016's Hail, Caesar!, another comedy-drama about classic Hollywood. But for me OUaTiH blows HC out of the water. It may be longer and slower-paced but I found it far more intriguing and fun, not to mention better written. If you can bear the length then Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a must-see.

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