My biggest regret with Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood is that I'm not able to immediately sit down and watch it again - because I absolutely can't wait to. This review is spoiler-free, because if you're a Quentin Tarantino fan, my main goal here is to propel you out the door and get you into the theater muy pronto, as this is one of his absolute best, easily on a par with Pulp Fiction, possibly even surpassing it.
I loved this movie. I also think the less you know about it going in, the better off you are. As you might suspect, this is Tarantino's love letter to the Hollywood he grew up being formed by. It's 1969, an era of Screen Gems and Quinn Martin Productions - of Mannix, The Green Hornet and Matt Helm. He references everything from Land of the Giants to Sergio Corbucci, and it's a tidal wave of giddy nostalgia wrapped up in a supremely engaging story driven by two fantastic characters. The sixties were coming to a close, darkness was emerging and society was changing. It was a summer where American was changed forever.
In one of the all-time great casting coups, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt team-up in roles we'll be quoting for a long, long time. Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) is an actor now past the heyday of his TV western prime. His series Bounty Law looks an awful lot like Steve McQueen's Wanted Dead or Alive. Rick's getting older now, and times are changing. DiCaprio is wonderfully open and vulnerable in his anxiety about an uncertain future. His former stunt-double and best friend is Cliff Booth (Pitt), who's more often Rick's chauffeur and handyman these days. Both of them are finding that the world around them is changing, with the potential to leave them in the dust. I honestly don't think either of them have ever been better. DiCaprio is raw and in constant motion. Pitt is unflappably cool and centered - a seasoned bad-ass who doesn't rattle easily.
Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood feels like it was written to perfection. Every scene has a purpose, and its constantly fascinating. Nothing's wasted, and nothing feels indulgent. It's also hilarious. At 2 hours and 41 minutes, it feels like a brisk half-hour. It also feels like Tarantino is maturing magnificently. To have this fall on the heels of The Hateful Eight is evidence of a writer/director at the height of his powers, who's wildly in love with character and narrative. The picture is full of terrific scenes - too many to count. With the attention to period detail and morning-after apprehension, it shares a magnificent kinship with Boogie Nights, while staying very much its own unique thing.
Massive props to production designer Barbara Ling and legendary Cinematographer Robert Richardson. They time-travel the audience with remarkably effective ease.
There so much more I'd love to talk about, so many scenes I want to dive into, but you need to taste the wine first, then we can discuss and unpack. It may only be August, but for the time being, Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood is the best picture of the year. Very highly damn recommended.
I loved this movie. I also think the less you know about it going in, the better off you are. As you might suspect, this is Tarantino's love letter to the Hollywood he grew up being formed by. It's 1969, an era of Screen Gems and Quinn Martin Productions - of Mannix, The Green Hornet and Matt Helm. He references everything from Land of the Giants to Sergio Corbucci, and it's a tidal wave of giddy nostalgia wrapped up in a supremely engaging story driven by two fantastic characters. The sixties were coming to a close, darkness was emerging and society was changing. It was a summer where American was changed forever.
In one of the all-time great casting coups, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt team-up in roles we'll be quoting for a long, long time. Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) is an actor now past the heyday of his TV western prime. His series Bounty Law looks an awful lot like Steve McQueen's Wanted Dead or Alive. Rick's getting older now, and times are changing. DiCaprio is wonderfully open and vulnerable in his anxiety about an uncertain future. His former stunt-double and best friend is Cliff Booth (Pitt), who's more often Rick's chauffeur and handyman these days. Both of them are finding that the world around them is changing, with the potential to leave them in the dust. I honestly don't think either of them have ever been better. DiCaprio is raw and in constant motion. Pitt is unflappably cool and centered - a seasoned bad-ass who doesn't rattle easily.
Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood feels like it was written to perfection. Every scene has a purpose, and its constantly fascinating. Nothing's wasted, and nothing feels indulgent. It's also hilarious. At 2 hours and 41 minutes, it feels like a brisk half-hour. It also feels like Tarantino is maturing magnificently. To have this fall on the heels of The Hateful Eight is evidence of a writer/director at the height of his powers, who's wildly in love with character and narrative. The picture is full of terrific scenes - too many to count. With the attention to period detail and morning-after apprehension, it shares a magnificent kinship with Boogie Nights, while staying very much its own unique thing.
Massive props to production designer Barbara Ling and legendary Cinematographer Robert Richardson. They time-travel the audience with remarkably effective ease.
There so much more I'd love to talk about, so many scenes I want to dive into, but you need to taste the wine first, then we can discuss and unpack. It may only be August, but for the time being, Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood is the best picture of the year. Very highly damn recommended.
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