Enjoy the ride -- the ending is worth it!

Rating: 9/10 (6 April 2020)

I can see why another reviewer wrote that "this film will certainly divide audiences." However, if you grew up in the 60s & 70s (like I did) or if you're just fascinated by that era, and if you know a good bit about the history of the Manson Family, then you should definitely enjoy this film! Although it's almost 3 hours, it didn't seem that way to me, and I would like to see the rumored extended version (not to mention deleted & alternate scenes). I especially liked Tarantino's skillful interweaving of facts (from the late 60s) with fiction. Although the film did seem to "meander" in some places, it's mainly for character development and/or plot misdirection because the ultimate premise of the film is this: "What might have happened if the Manson Family killers had (accidentally) gone to a different house on the night of 8-9 Aug. 1969 (i.e., not the intended Polanksi-Tate house)?". In fact, I came to like most of the characters so much that I feared what was going to happen to them at the end (based on my knowledge of history). However, in a wonderful and unexpected plot twist at the end, Tarantino merges the various storylines and brings the film to a close in a much more satisfying way (complete with plenty of his characteristic blood, violence, & chaos).