Love Letter to Classic Cinema

Rating: 8/10 (19 December 2019)

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a very entertaining movie. It's slow pace might put some people off but I was never bored at any point during the movie.
The acting was, as expected, great. Leo Di Caprio plays the washed up actor Rick Dalton very realistically as well as amusingly. Brad Pitt plays the no nonsense stunt double Clith Booth with ease, he really feels in control of situations. The chemistry of these two actors is just great. Margot Robbie doesn't say too much but what we do get of her portrayal of Sharon Tate is very tasteful and respectful, the film shows her as a kind, carefree young woman with a great career ahead of her.
Some thought the story was a little aimless but I disagree. I enjoyed the journey of Rick Dalton, it was entertaining to watch. The friendship between Clith and Rick feels incredibly authentic, one of my favourite scenes was when the two of them were sitting watching TV.
The last 20 minutes or so were very Tarantino and very satisfying, I was having a blast. This film was a comedy and it easily succeeded at being one. Every joke had so much build up and the payoff was worth it, I was laughing out loud a lot which doesn't happen often for me.
The set design is so immersive I felt like this really was filmed in the 60s. The ads, the billboards, the cinemas, the film posters and so much more bring this film to life. Tarantino clearly loved classic cinema and this movie feels like it was crafted with passion and care, which is something you don't see often.
Overall, this was incredibly enjoyable. The acting was excellent, the story was entertaining and funny, it felt very immersive and the comedy was just fantastic. I recommend it.