What coulda been...in Hollywood

Rating: 4/10 (28 March 2020)

Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood is an enigma of a movie. A bulk of the acting throughout is well done, but what else would you expect from the lineup provided. An opportunity is there for a memorable story. You just never really see one. Had you gone into this movie, well aware of the acting skill-set involved, but with little knowledge of the director's previous work, you'd likely come out saying, "Not bad, but the director does have potential." Kinda a summary of the film; has potential. Some of the best acting scenes are of the actors "acting" within the movie. But they are drawn out. And in the end, have little to do with where the plot is going, which is a task to figure out itself. Many of the driving scenes are lifeless. Where in past Tarantinio works, like Resevoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, that used this venue for witty dialogue and forums into character's minds. In the end Tarantino called this his love story to L.A. And no doubt the way in which 60's Hollywood is displayed is superb. But the story is sluggish. And when it wraps up in old school Tarantino style it's more like there was simply nothing left to tell. Problem being, not much had been told to us until then. In past Tarantino efforts you end up sorting through several scenes and sequences to pick out your favorites and most memorable. In ...Hollywood, you seem left still searching.