A Slow Roll Into an Intense Third Act

Rating: 9/10 (7 August 2019)

Tarantino's 9th film brings an ensemble cast back to the end of the 1960s in the months preceding the Manson Family murder of Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and her friends. He pairs this background plot point with the story of Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a "has-been" actor trying to find his way in a changing Hollywood and his loyal companion, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his stunt double. Most of the movie serves as an homage to the 1960s era of film and TV while building our main characters, Rick, Cliff, and to a lesser extent, Sharon. The film spends its first two acts pretty tame by Tarantino's standards, highlighting Dalton's character and struggle with his changing surroundings more than anything else. The first really tense scene of the movie involves Cliff giving one of Manson's family members a ride home. The scene builds a tension reminiscent of Tarantino's earlier films, particularly some of the great scenes of tension in Inglorious Basterds. The first two acts amount to an incredibly slow buildup culminating in a huge payoff when Tarantino spins history to have the Manson family attack Dalton's home. What follows is an incredibly cathartic, yet violent, set piece with huge payoffs for Chekov's guns laid out earlier in the film. If you can make it through the slow character buildup of the first two acts, you'll be rewarded with an intense third act which brings a huge sense of catharsis and satisfaction. Personally, it was worth it. If you love Tarantino, it's a no-brainer to see this movie.