Ambitious, Fascinating yet Bloated Tarantino Epic

Rating: 7/10 (26 July 2019)

Quentin Tarantino is back with his ninth film, "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood." I've long been looking forward to this film for its outstanding cast and unique subject matter (1960s Hollywood) for Tarantino to work with. I thought this film was good but not great. It's an extraordinarily ambitious film that manages to showcase Tarantino's unbelievable cinephilia in a unique way, but it also can feel a bit bloated and tonally ridiculous in a few places.
First and foremost, the acting in the film is very strong. Both DiCaprio and Pitt are charismatic and potent in their roles, and have exceptional chemistry together. Unfortunately, however, much of the supporting cast is severely underused. The production design here is both meticulous and magnificent, as Tarantino's affinity for --and knowledge of--the era is fully showcased. Viewers genuinely feel transported to Hollywood in 1969 while watching the film. The script is thoughtful and engaging, although it lacks the wit or punchiness of some of the writing in Tarantino's best films (like "Inglourious Basterds" and "Pulp Fiction.") The soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal, as is the uniqueness and cleverness of many of its popular culture references. However, the film does drag from time to time, and lacks a clear plot and consistent focus for the first two hours. It's a unique and highly entertaining amalgamation of late 60s film history that feels unlike anything else, but I feel that a more defined plot would have helped the film considerably. Even though, for example, "The Hateful Eight" was very long, it still had a generally defined plot. Furthermore, the film feels rather tonally uneven by its conclusion. (Note: I do not mention any specific plot details of the climax and ending, but discuss its tone and general vibe, so I have marked the review with a spoiler warning just to err on the side of caution.) The film's outlandish finale feels like the over-the-top stuff that Tarantino is typically known for. But unlike many of Tarantino's more "over-the-top" movies like "Kill Bill" or "Django Unchained" or his more "slow-burn up to a boil" movies like "Reservoir Dogs" and "The Hateful Eight," this tonal shift just comes out of nowhere. As a result, this probably ends up being the most tonally inconsistent Tarantino movie, which is bitterly ironic given that the tone up until its climax is composed and steady. Still, this is an entertaining reflection on the late 60s that manages to serve as a time capsule to an era that Tarantino loves. Recommended, but it's not one of his best films. 7/10