Quentin Tarantino's Longing for Times Past

Rating: 9/10 (26 July 2019)

Quentin Tarantino depicts 60's Hollywood in a way only he could. All of the staples of his filmmaking appear, but in a much more restrained fashion. The vast majority of the film lacks the grandiose swagger of his more recent films, but it successfully draws you into the atmosphere all the same. What some may view as bloated actually plays an essential role. Without letting the audience simmer in the magic of Tinseltown, Tarantino's signature explosive finale would lose its thematic punch. You may not get as much out of repeat viewings of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood compared to the rest of Tarantino's filmography, but the first time is exceptional enough.