To capture the 60s, I wouldn't be surprised if Quentin Tarantino took time to study the decade and to look at some of the stuff he remembered as a kid. He hasn't made much in the 2010s, but to end it on a high note with Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, that says a lot. It's one of his first movies without the involvement of Harvey Weinstein and even with the run time, I didn't feel bored at all throughout it.
The movie is mainly a focus on two men in 1969 Hollywood. There's Leonardo DiCaprio's Rick Dalton, a washed up TV star who is looking to make a comeback. With him is Brad Pitt's Cliff Booth, his stunt double. It's a duo that has seen a lot of ups and downs. Some of it is explained through a few flashbacks in a couple incidents that have hurt them. Other parts is them trying to do some work and going through the day. Mostly, it's Rick's attempts to get back into the spotlight and trying to not be looked at as a has been. There's not much to Cliff early on, but he has his own share of screen time, especially when it kicks into the second half.
One of the small focuses is Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie. While not the point of the film, her and Roman Polanski serve as some critical plot points. The same can be said for the Manson cult. With Tate, this has to be the most perfect casting. Almost near identical. The portrayal is along the lines of her leading a normal life. Some partying, but mundane. Most of her scenes involve seeing her movie The Wrecking Crew and getting a picture in front of her poster. With the black sweater and boots, Robbie deserves to be a model.
Speaking of that, the 60s is crafted with phenomenal lighting and cinematography, part of it almost looks something from that decade in certain scenes. Add in the costumes and cars, it is like watching a fantasy come to life. The amount of digitally placed shots in Hollywood is amazing. I don't know how much of the 90 million dollar budget went into it, but they utilize it quite well with scenes where they place Rick in a few TV shows and movies. He seems anything but washed up and there is a bit of drama. While that's a case with Tarantino movies, it's a bit more emotional and not there for the sake of being there.
The only big issue I can see out of this is the run time, but it didn't bore me with over two and a half hours. It might for you. Beyond Rick, Cliff, and Sharon, the rest of the cast is excellent, especially getting a lot of television actors to play parts. Some narration is a nice touch. A little bit of humor sprinkled in at points throughout it. Tarantino went all out with this and it lands on its feet gracefully. He does restrain from resorting to his trademark violence, but knew when to use it. Add in one of the craziest endings I have ever seen, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a cocktail that is worth seeing in the theater. In a sea of remakes, comic book movies, and sequels, being original isn't always bad. Check it out.
Score: 9.5 out of 10
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