BETTER than Typical QT

Rating: 10/10 (4 August 2019)

I dreaded the length of this film & almost waited for DVD. I was pleasantly surprised at how fast it went b/c it is SO VISUALLY RICH & engaging. Admittedly slower pacing than expected from QT, but the pacing weaves a story & visuals that is ultimately rewarding. Perhaps 20-something's won't appreciate (1) the Hollywood & pop-culture nostalgia, (2) the brilliant music placement choices & (3) Leo's multi-layered, complex portrayal of a "dying breed" while simultaneously illustrating the character's shallow, short-sighted self-absorption -- VERY tough job to harness a character who is shown "acting within the acting." QT is the master at showing us the most believable fantasy characters & re-imagining how they might interact with our historical realities. I was also dreading the violence b/c wondering how QT could possibly have the stones (and bad taste) to put the real-life murders on the big screen. Everyone knows QT films result in gruesome deaths, but this ending was SO BRILLIANT & satisfying (in a Tarantino way) -- a "once upon a time" tale that leaves you wishing it had happened that way in real life. See it on the big screen -- small screen inadequate for enjoying the tightly-packed scenery & depth of textures this film delivers.