I Laughed from Beginning to End

Rating: 8/10 (28 July 2019)

Not a fan of Quentin Tarantino, think his films are ridiculously violent, and hate his obsessive use of the N-word. Contrary to popular belief, Samuel L. Jackson's opinion of the N-word does not reflect the majority of black people's views on the use of that word. The only movies Tarantino directed I liked was the Kill Bill movies because of their style and the fight scenes. So I'm not obsessed with his work. I said all that to say, I'm not a Quentin Tarantino purist. Even though I'm not, I enjoyed this stupid two hour and thirty minute film which I will probably never watch again except maybe in the distant future on television on a Sunday morning when I have way too much time on my hands.
Yet, this is a simple movie about the friendship between a falling actor named Rick played by Leonardo DiCaprio and long time stuntman Cliff played by Brad Pitt which just so happens to coincide with the Mansion murders in 1969 and the real life death of rising star actress and wife of director Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate. Rick is in the twilight of his career and Cliff is his best friend/ assistant who always supports him and encourage him not to give up on acting. This movie is crazy and bunkers and had the audience laughing from the beginning to the end. Since the MeToo era, feminists complain about everything including the minor role they believe Margot Robbie had in this movie playing Sharon Tate. Could the character have been played by anyone? Yes, but the reason why Sharon Tate's family approved of this portrayal of Sharon onscreen or let's say compared to Hillary Duff's version is because Margot captured the youthful beauty and spirit of Sharon Tate. Yes, her role is small compared to DiCaprio's and Pitt's, but the point Tarantino was trying to convey, was to allow the audience to get to know her as a real person. In real life, she died at the age of 26 and her career barely begun. Unlike Judy Garland, she didn't have her "Wizard of Oz" yet. So beside being forever linked to Charles Manson as the victim he sent his followers to murder, in this movie, we got to see her as a human being. A young, newlywed married to a famous film director and spending her afternoon going to the movies to watch herself on screen in one of her movies. She wasn't a victim in this movie. She was a normal person and that's why her sister Debra Tate approved of her portrayal in this movie. In this alternate universe, Sharon lived and in the unknown future, whatever happened to her life afterwards, was her choice alone. So I enjoyed this movie. Margot captured the essence of Sharon Tate really well. Brad and Leonardo was awesome, but Brad stole the show a little bit. Both had their moments. The last thirty minutes was bananas like Tarantino may have been smoking acid when he was trying to figure out how to end this film.
Once Upon a Time was a beautiful love letter to the Golden Era of Hollywood. And if Luke Perry had to leave this world early, Once Upon of Time in Hollywood was a pretty awesome movie for his final film ever listed on IMDb. Anyone who loved old sitcoms from the 60s and 70s, will love how this movie plays homage to them. So to sum it up, it was a good movie. The critics love it. The audience love it. Sharon Tate's family loved it. The guy who played Bruce Lee was amazing too and is renewing interest in a new Bruce Lee story but he too, captured the essence of Bruce Lee. And even in this alternate universe, Rick Dalton loved it too because by saving Sharon Tate and her friends, he saved his career too by the film ending with Rick finally getting what he wanted by living next to a famous director and of course, we all know he's going to bring his right hand man Cliff along with him. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was a beautiful love letter to the greats of the Golden Era like the friendship between the late Burt Reynolds and his stuntman and longtime best friend Hal Needham, Bruce Lee, Sharon Tate, and Roman Polanski (whether you love him or hate him for his sins in his personal life, professionally he's one of the greatest directors of a generation). Great movie, check it out.