Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood was unleashed July 26th. One of the industry’s most polarizing and innovative storytellers brings us back to the late 60’s when the Hollywood Hills were glitzed out with such stars as Steve McQueen, Bruce Lee, Sharon Tate and countless others. In the summer of 1969, the counterculture wave was at its pinnacle and “flower power” spread like wildfire. The majority of the film takes place on a weekend in February of 1969 and follows the ups and downs of Rick Dalton (Leo DiCaprio), a fading star who has come to terms with his current standing as an actor. Along with his stunt double best friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), who basically just chauffeurs Rick around and tends to his emotional state, the two buddies get along like bread and butter.
Rick Dalton used to be a star of a western series called “Bounty Law” but realizing that his glory days are past him, he struggles to manage his next role. Reminiscing with Cliff about the “good ole days”, the two can usually be found at the bar sucking down bloody marys and margaritas. Unlike Rick, Cliff is more laid back and seems to be content just to be around Rick and the industry big wigs. Cliff doesn’t own a home in the hills, rather a trailer behind a drive-in theater where he and his muscular and loyal pit bull Brandy reside. Understanding that a stuntman’s career could be rather short, Cliff is more than happy to repair Rick’s television antenna and drive around taking care of errands.
Along with a slew of mega movie stars, some of the most controversial ones, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha) live right next door to Rick. Now at the time Polanski was perhaps the world’s most sought after director, coming off the heels of his masterpiece Rosemary’s Baby (1968). The Polish director married the young and beautiful Tate, whose career was beginning to blossom into stardom after years of small TV roles. There has been much said about the role of Margot Robbie’s limited screen time and perhaps movie goers will expect the film to revolve around the horrific events of the Manson family murder but let me warn you that in pure Tarantino fashion that is not the case.
The main pitch of the film cycles around the emotional roller-coaster of Rick Dalton. The background is the dreamy and often hard hitting reality of the Hollywood business. For the cinema dorks out there, Tarantino stops at no length to show the audience that when he decides to shoot an actor driving around the Hills of LA for 3 minutes, he will. Just because he can. Countless shots feature Rick and Cliff driving around LA, accompanied by the glut of memorable radio gems and beautiful scenery. The cinematography is absolutely fine-tuned, and the production is unreal. A film as such will be viewed over and over just to discover and find new attractions. I honestly can’t wait for the Blu-ray, simply to pause and admire the detail and setting of this film.
To describe Quentin’s homage to the western genre and to that era of Hollywood would be an incredible disservice. There are flashbacks within digressions, and digressions within flashbacks. Honestly just brilliant stuff. The film may seem like a timepiece about 1960’s Hollywood, but it’s purely about cinema of that era. Like most of Tarantino’s films, the theme is always the art of cinema and his personal reality that it has forged. You come to realize that your witnessing the work of a director that has come full circle with his craft. Tarantino perhaps would not be able to pull off such a feat 20 years ago, or even 10. Capturing this idea and executing it doesn’t just happen, this is a culmination of headspace that required evolution.
Now if you ever had any doubt about the skillful and talented Leo DiCaprio, his performance in Once Upon a Time will prove to you that he definitely, without a doubt belongs on the “Mount Rushmore” of American actors. Truly at the top of his game, his act hasn’t been this enjoyable since, well let’s see. Oh yeah, the last time he has worked with Tarantino on Django: Unchained. To a degree, Leo embodies classic Hollywood in such a natural way. With Leo being the perfect fit, Brad Pitt also proves that when given the correct role, his charisma can outshine anyone.
Many casual fans of Tarantino’s work will feel that this film lacks that “Tarantinoesque” pop or shock. Make no mistake, this is not Reservoir Dogs, or Kill Bill. It flows more evenly like Jackie Brown, which is one of Quentin’s’ tamest stories told. However the final payoff is pure Tarantino turned up to 11. Everyone will be talking about the final scene for a long time. Like a castle crashing down into a pile of bricks that was just built a few hours ago, you will be left with your jaw dangling on the floor. Those who have seen it, will and still do not truly comprehend what they witnessed. Whether to laugh maniacally or brace behind your covered eyes, the final expulsion is an atom bomb of emotions.
Regardless the conclusion that you grasp from this film, all I know is that I can’t wait to see it again. The dimensions and multiple layers that are presented all come together into this crazy and wonderful vision. Once Upon A Time is an instant Hollywood Classic…