A World I Would Live In

Rating: 9/10 (7 August 2019)

One of the best compliments a director can receive is that I wish their film was longer. That's not to say that OUATIH isn't very long, as it certainly is for today's standards, but I truly could have lived in this world for another hour or two. Quentin Tarantino's brilliant sense for world building without ever having to do a sequel (aside from Kill Bill, which he still contends is one story anyway) is extremely impressive. He loves to take his sweet time with monologue after monologue and countless amounts of long shots that a normal filmmaker would cut down significantly, but I ate all of it up.
Oh, and we've never had a DiCaprio/Pitt team-up before? That counts for a lot too. Their chemistry makes the movie fly by, and pulls on your heart up until the bitter end. This isn't a story about the Manson murders, rather a story about friendship and the idea of old hollywood meeting new hollywood. The 50's, 60's, and even into the 70's were considered a thriving time for filmmaking and Tarantino clearly has a huge affinity to this era, and of course, Sharon Tate (played by Margot Robbie). Sure, maybe she doesn't have a ton of dialogue, but her presence is felt throughout every scene with DiCaprio as the 'new age' seeps into his career and forces him to make drastic changes to his path.
A slow burn for most of the film turns into a hectic and absolutely insane final act, one which is already dividing audiences, but creating conversation is exactly what Tarantino sets out to do. He better not retire after his 10th film.....Special shoutout to Margaret Qualley, this is a star making turn from her.
9.4/10