Movie Breakdown: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Pre-Screening Stance:

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is the ninth film from Quentin Tarantino.  I’m in.  You’re in.  Everyone is in.

Post-Screening Ramble:

It took me a couple of years to re-watch Tarantino’s last film, The Hateful Eight.  I do think it’s a good movie, but it’s also overwrought and just not as accessible as Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained or any of Tarantino’s earlier films.  Thankfully, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a much lighter affair than The Hateful Eight, but it may also be Tarantino’s most self-indulgent film yet, and with a two hour and 45 minute run time, I think you’re either going to really dig it or it’ll be a total test of your patience.  Personally, I found it to be pretty great.  Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic as Rick Dalton, an actor struggling with being in the twilight of his career.  The same can be said for Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth, Dalton’s long-time stunt double, gofer and best friend.  What really makes the film shine though is Tarantino’s version of Hollywood in 1969.  Because of the year the movie takes place in, you see Tinseltown in a transitional period from its Golden Age into something entirely different, and Tarantino revels in showcasing his knowledge and enthusiasm for this time.  He fills the setting with crazy characters, pop culture nuggets, info and a ton of references to his previous works, and the end result is a revisionist but sincere take on late-60s Hollywood that’s really layered and interesting.  You have to be all-in though to fully enjoy it, and even when you are, it’s hard to escape the feeling that Tarantino may suddenly pop on the screen and either wink at his own clever bit or scoff at you for not catching some obscure reference, so there’s certainly a give and a take to him operating as the max version of himself.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a fun ride that has a lot of laughs and wild moments, but unless you’re a real big fan of Tarantino, I think there’s a chance you may not fully connect with it.

One Last Thought:

The Sharon Tate/Charles Manson stuff is not at all the focus of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, so don’t go into it expecting a deep dive into all of that craziness.

One More Last Thought:

Even though I knew she was in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, I barely recognized Dakota Fanning.  I think that – sort of like with Haley Joel Osment and MaCaulay Culkin – she’s just forever ingrained in my head as a child.