Once Upon A Long Winded Review

Rating: 9/10 (27 July 2019)

Hollywood, the glamorous place that holds the dreams of so many aspiring to be rich, famous, and fashionable. It's a place that has changed faces much like the stars change make up, and to keep on top of modern trends to keep the ever-consuming monster satiated. Yet, in the shiny metropolis lies stories that aren't so flashy or happy, dramatic tales that are sad and filled with anguish that some can't handle. Yet, for directors like Quentin Tarantino it's a medium that holds potential to open the eyes of the blind. That story, or at least a comedic rendition of it, lies in this movie of our review with hopes of being a contender in the quality film industry. Robbie K here ready to give you a taste of another review as we take on:
Movie: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Director:
Quentin Tarantino
Writer:
Quentin Tarantino
Stars:
Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

LIKES:
The Setting
The Costumes
Special Effects
The Writing
The Tempered Down Tarantino Effects
The Acting
The Nostalgia
DISLIKES:
The Occasional rants of cursing
The Disproportionate Story Telling
Needed More Margot Robbie
The Pacing
The Run Time
The Ending... sort of
SUMMARY
The wow factor for this movie is the homage Tarantino paid to the glorious mega studio in so many aspects. In particular all the movie magic of effects, wardrobe, settings take you back to the classic world where so much changed, as the 60s/70s. In the fantastic setting of retro Hollywood, smart writing that is blend of drama, comedy, and smart dives into the psyche of those famous people we admired. By tempering down the Tarantino cascade, it allowed for a different film that wasn't overwhelmed by the flash in the pan effect this director flourishes in. To help further bring this message to life, the acting of the three tiled characters gets big acknowledgement, with heart throb DiCaprio bearing much of the load of the tortured actor trying to find his way in a changing world. Pitt's character was my favorite of the supporting character that was a blend of looks and comedy that went well with the supporting story, while Robbie's dive in the star trying to gain new light sort of provided the intensity relief. Yet, all of this is overpowered by the bouts of nostalgia from the various entertainment venues this time period had. Radio shows, famous songs, television programs, and all the memorabilia that referenced this was the real factor that made the movie a fun adventure filled with messages and meaning.
Yet, the movie does have some cleaning up for me that would potentially make it more favorable to the general public. First of all, while Tarantino's energy has been tempered, it's not eliminated and the moments where it comes out in full rush did little for me. Minor dislike aside, the story telling, while good, is a little imbalanced, primarily in Margot Robbie's character who felt more like an incongruent tangent that only touched on the graph of this film's main plot. Because of this sort of unbalance, the movie seemed to fall in to a frame of being too slow, the pace for a nearly 3-hour film was dragging and very tiring. Much of this had to do with the bloated sequences of lots of driving, or dragged out bits of conversation that could have been left for a director's cut. Throw in the incongruent story of Margot Robbie's character and you get extra time that is not really need. Perhaps it would have been worth it had the ending gone the way I had expected, the buildup of the incident ending in that comedic violence that is both satisfying and not quite the terror I had expected. Thus, the long-winded journey did not quite have the finish that I think he was getting at.
Overall, Once Upon In Hollywood is smart writing, diving into the lives of the fleeting fame that is Hollywood and how the transitions can affect one person. The special effects and settings will be the ultimate nostalgic for fans to dive into, and the acting is certainly going to have candidates in the Oscar running. Yet, the films suffers from bloated storytelling and disproportionate focus on each aspect leading to a very drawn out tale that may not be for everyone. Thus, if you are looking for the entertainment factor, this one is not worth a trip to the theater, but if you want the artistic love letter to the thing that brings so many hits, then check this one out.
My scores are:
Comedy-Drama: 8.5
Movie overall: 8.0