((Hollywood + Music + Cars) / FFetish) *60s = Quentin Child Dream

Rating: 7/10 (28 August 2019)

Quentin Tarantino movies in last 10 years became a phenomenon. They are empty inside but has very shine cover. Every time, the world holds its breath and with high expectations wait from maestro new "Pulp Fiction", "Reservoir Dogs" or "Jackie Brown". Poor people.. are so naïve..
This happens now.
Music and Commercial on radio, Cars, Night neon street lights of LA clubs, westerns and crime TV shows, hippies on the streets. The whole story, about actor Rick Dalton, his friend-stuntman Cliff Booth, actress Sharon Tate, their problems and chemistry, all of them is only nice distracting cover, while the main character and story, is an era. Era of Hollywood 60th. This is probably only true intention why Mr.Tarantino wanted to film "Once Upon a time....in Hollywood".
And you, as an audience, will love it. Yes, to you! Because every time when you seating behind Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate or Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth and listening radio with them, while leaving Cielo Drive, turn to Benedict Canyon Drive and in few moments car is filled with shining light reflections from Sunset Blvd. In such moments your soul literally traveling back in time almost 50 years ago. I am saluting to the Art Department, Production Design, Set Decorators and of course Music Department. All of you guys deserve at least Academy Award nomination.
Despite all positive things above movie doesn't have one main thing. Film does not set a main goal. "Friendship?" Perhaps. "Get used to new times and continue career?" Noooo. "Finding your place in life, after leaving screen?" No! If the goal was to show us famous crime 1969 by Manson Family...it also failed.
In some way, I understand that it was hard to rebuild shocking kill of Mrs. Tate and her friends, I think because Quentin is kind of romantic inside. As I said, previously he (Writer and Director) is obsessed with Hollywood of middle 20th Century, and for him, as for fan boy, it would have been like spit on his childhood dreams, on that golden age in LA, where he grew up, no matter how hard and nice it was in the same time. However, it is also not the first time when "Master of brutalism" and "King of blood scenes" decided to create his own version of past. Just like in "Inglorious bastards" & "Django", where "good guys" takes above over the evil by smashing and burning it. So when Cliff Booth at the end smokes "very special" cigarette you can understand, everything in final will be way more fantastic as it was in real life.
Few words about Characters. Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth (Former military; war Hero; man of his word) best and probably only one friend to Rick Dalton (played by Leo DiCaprio) who is an Actor at the dusk of his career. Years ago, Rick was famous by portraying "good guys" in Westerns and Action movies. But times go by and now at the era of Hippies & Rock'nRoll he can expect only small roles as a typical "bad boy". As an action star, he had a Stunt double, and that is Mr. Cliff Booth. Both of them were work together more than 10 years and after long period, working relations transform into friendship. The whole story is spinning around these two. We became witness of falling and rising Rick Dalton as actor during one filming day, Moments of shame from Cliff where he can't hold his mouth shut and hands clean. Sharon Tate played by Margot Robbie does not bring any important information or action in film. She is just enjoying her life while Cliff and Rick working. That's actually all about this movie..
Overall. "Once upon a time..." glorifies Hollywood of 60th and Bromance inside of it. That what movie about. It is not about hard work in industry or killing beautiful innocent young Actress. No. Unfortunately. Quentin Tarantino continue to live inside of his phantasmagorical 35mm film, full of great music, brilliant dialogs, Nice cars, dirty female feet's in the middle of screen every 15 minutes, and with a story....which does not give anything important to you. 7/10.