"Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" is a film that basically tells no story, but that beautifully conveys the atmosphere of Los Angeles during the final days of the Golden Age of Hollywood and the zenith of hippie culture. It's also a sharp meta-commentary of stardom and cinema, as well as an obvious homage to the director's favorite film genres. The lack of plot is balanced by Tarantino's masterful direction, the excellent screenplay, and the flawless acting performances. Rick Dalton and his stunt Cliff Booth are the embodiment of the "old" Hollywood, while rising star Sharon Tate represents a new way of life and filmmaking. The two worlds run parallel for the whole film only to cross in the end with the historical revision of the Tate murders. Cliff is introduced as basically Rick's minion and initially seems to only have a marginal role, but the relationship between the two becomes the main driving force of the film. I liked how their opposite lifestyles and personalities managed to complete each other.
While Sharon's character works well as a double to Rick's, her scenes ultimately felt like unnecessary screen time. She was supposed to be at the center of the events, but unfortunately, we barely get to see her involved. Her contribution to the plot is so minimal that if you don't know about the Tate murders you would feel disoriented. This is the only real problem of the movie: it acquires most of its value only if you are familiar with the source material.
Overall, this film has a lot of brilliant dialogues and iconic scenes that are classic Tarantino, but it also has a more mature tone and relaxed pace that might displease long-time fans. It's perfectly crafted but more focus on the plot wouldn't hurt.
Review by manicureVIP 4BlockedParent2021-05-01T14:38:52Z
"Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" is a film that basically tells no story, but that beautifully conveys the atmosphere of Los Angeles during the final days of the Golden Age of Hollywood and the zenith of hippie culture. It's also a sharp meta-commentary of stardom and cinema, as well as an obvious homage to the director's favorite film genres. The lack of plot is balanced by Tarantino's masterful direction, the excellent screenplay, and the flawless acting performances. Rick Dalton and his stunt Cliff Booth are the embodiment of the "old" Hollywood, while rising star Sharon Tate represents a new way of life and filmmaking. The two worlds run parallel for the whole film only to cross in the end with the historical revision of the Tate murders. Cliff is introduced as basically Rick's minion and initially seems to only have a marginal role, but the relationship between the two becomes the main driving force of the film. I liked how their opposite lifestyles and personalities managed to complete each other.
While Sharon's character works well as a double to Rick's, her scenes ultimately felt like unnecessary screen time. She was supposed to be at the center of the events, but unfortunately, we barely get to see her involved. Her contribution to the plot is so minimal that if you don't know about the Tate murders you would feel disoriented. This is the only real problem of the movie: it acquires most of its value only if you are familiar with the source material.
Overall, this film has a lot of brilliant dialogues and iconic scenes that are classic Tarantino, but it also has a more mature tone and relaxed pace that might displease long-time fans. It's perfectly crafted but more focus on the plot wouldn't hurt.