A Modern Fairy Tale Tribute to Classic Hollywood's Departure

Rating: 8/10 (5 August 2019)

Over the years, we've had numerous tributes to Hollywood's Golden age, but never to the extent of that era's tail end. Well, for his ninth film no less, Quentin Tarantino did just that, with an ensemble cast and his trademark love to his generation's culture. Taking place in 1969 during the rise of the hippie cult movement and the rapid changes the film industry went through, the film chronicles multiple storylines involving a fictional aging television actor named Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double/longtime friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) as they experience all the changes going on in Hollywood, including that of a gripping cult spread around the place, as well as actress/model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie).
What the film succeeds at the most in paying tribute to Hollywood during the late 60s is the look and aesthetic, down to the settings, landscapes and even how the movies and TV shows were shot back then. Many of the scenes displaying the shows and movies Rick Dalton and other actors appear in look and sound exactly like how they did back in the 60s, and given that the movie was shot on traditional film, it only adds in to the charming graininess and flair to it all. In addition, the performances are very strong, from Leo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt practically embodying their characters, and their chemistry with each other really feels like something of a natural bond between friends. The remaining cast range from eccentric and fascinating characters in their own right, such as Margaret Qualley, Julia Butters, Al Pacino and Kurt Russell, to spot on impersonations of real people, like Mike Joh as Bruce Lee, Timothy Olyphant as James Stacey, Emile Hirsch as Jay Sebring and Bruce Dern as George Spahn. The only actor who didn't seem to leave much of an impression was Margot Robbie, as her character was never given much material to truly shine, especially given that she was an Oscar nominated actress.
Now with all that said, its time we talked about the actual cult hidden in the film, and that is the one and only Manson family. They are introduced when Cliff Booth drops off one of their members at their ranch, and the scene in particular just builds up the creepy factor with suspenseful albeit quiet tension and chilling atmosphere. Some of the members do show up towards the third act, and that's when all hell breaks lose. What's funny is that Tarantino announced this film as his own take on the Manson family murders, so the fact that he mixed it within a tale of actors coming to grips with Hollywood is shocking to say the least. I personally think they could have spent a little more time developing the Manson family arch as opposed to Rick Dalton's dangling career, because Sharon Tate was who they ended up murdering in real life, and Tate barely has enough screen time to serve much of a purpose to the feature anyway. Without giving away the climax, the film kind of pulls a historical 180 on the murderers themselves, meaning that there weren't many consequences to Tate as a character. But to its credit, the film still highlighted how ruthlessly sick the family was, so it gets some credibility for rewriting history in its own weird way.
In terms of any other negatives though, the film is really slow in its pacing. Granted, for this film it kind of works due to the relatively serious subject matter of Hollywood actors working around the industry's standards, but there are times when it just meanders without going anywhere. In addition, one scene featuring Rick Dalton acting in one of his roles didn't commit to the style of 1960s tv quality, making it feel like a missed opportunity that looked confusing more than anything else. Also, for die hard Tarantino fans, you may be disappointed to find that his unique dialogue isn't as strong as the likes of Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill, not that the dialogue in this film was bad, but it seemed to lack a bit of that punch to make it worth remembering amongst other flicks he's made. On a more positive note though, being a Tarantino film, the choices of soundtrack fit the time period appropriately without ever feeling out of place, and they help elevate the tone well enough to make people feel nostalgic for the time period. Lastly, while I won't talk about the actual ending, it seemed to feel too fast paced compared to the film's generally patient flow, and the actual resolution, although satisfying, may have come at the expense of sacrificing the character's down to earth nature.
So even though this is somewhat of a departure from the usual stuff we expect from Tarantino such as more upbeat pacing and liveliness and his punchy dialogue, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood still works as a glorifying tribute to the departure of American Cinema's golden age and a reminder of how messed up the Mansons truly were. Maybe it will turn off exuberant Tarantino fanatics, but for those who enjoy uniquely crafted narratives centered around a classic time period worth remembering, I think you'll be satisfied enough. And besides, this makes the 50th anniversary of 1969 and the Manson family murders that took place during said year, so it might stand the test of time after all.