Portrait of an Era

Rating: 9/10 (28 March 2020)

Quentin Tarantino is one of those few people who has managed to create a style of film so unique that his work is easily distinguished from other's. He claims that he will make 10 feature films in his life, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is #9 (he counts Kill Bill as one). What separates OUATIH from the others is that it is partially inspired by real events - the murder of actress Sharon Tate by members of Charles Manson's cult. This was a controversial move, putting a real case in an otherwise fictional story. But then again, it wouldn't be Tarantino if it didn't have a controversy surrounding it.
It mostly follows two fictional characters - washed up actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo di Caprio), and his stuntman, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Dalton starred in a fictitious old western show called Bounty Law in the 50s and seeks to reinvigorate his career. Booth is a stuntman with a military background who frequently drinks. Both these characters are very strong, with excellent performances from both actors. Margot Robbie plays Tate and delivers a fantastic performance. While those three get the most attention, the movie is bolstered by an outstanding supporting cast, which includes Al Pacino, Zoe Bell, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Luke Perry in his final role, and many, many more.
While the film is technically about Dalton and Booth, perhaps it's more about the time and place. The film feels like an ode to 1960s Los Angeles, basking in the style, imagery, and sounds of the time, also delivering a selection of songs from the time. A common criticism of the movie was that nothing much happens, that there's too little plot. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is not a story, it's a portrait of a time and place. The greatest strength of this film is quite possibly the way it transports the audiences to the streets of Hollywood. The lengths that they went to to bring this image of a bygone age to the big screen is incredible. Several Hollywood icons of the day appear in fictionalized versions, including Bruce Lee, Roman Polanski, and Steve McQueen. And, of course, it has that distinct Tarantino style that we know and love. The only distinct feature of Tarantino movies that's missing is the violence. This is his least violent movie by far.
The film, like any good Tarantino movie, garnered quite a bit of controversy. The most controversial bits are the scene with Bruce Lee, which got the film banned in China (although that's not that hard to do), and the scene at the end with Sharon Tate. In regards to these things, the title of the film is worth considering: "Once Upon a Time" in Hollywood. Once upon a time, the opening words of fairy tales. Perhaps that's what this is. Hollywood's version of Hollywood's past. In that respect, you could call it a work of pulp fiction.
Personal aside: out of sheer coincidence, I saw this movie in theaters on August 8, 2019, the 50th anniversary of the murders.