Homage to 1960's counter-culture film industry, and a lot of feet!

Rating: 5/10 (4 May 2020)

This film is a homage to the past, to the junction when the old school film world was in flux, and the counter-culture film world was taking hold. Drugs, hippies and short skirts were usurping cowboys and injuns, and Quentin Tarantino is in love with the era that followed on from this.
This film is undeniably brilliantly put together. The settings are great, and the actors are all perfectly suited to their roles and you can't help but fall in love with that world. This film is like a time capsule of Hollywood in a brief moment.
Brad Pitt & Leo DiCaprio are wonderful as the leads, and we watch their journey in this world. In many ways, the underlying allegory is that this transition is a forewarning to all in the industry now, and the parallels are there for all to see.
The problem for me is though that it's just too overlong and easily could have been sharply cut down. There were so many scenes that just dragged on, and some totally unnecessary. The Bruce Lee scene could have been cut, and actually has created some controversy which is best left for another time.
Also there is Tarantino's foot fetish, and this film goes overboard on it. There's lots of references to some of Tarantino's old film collection, and really this film is a homage to his world as much as to all else.
There's good moments, but a leaner film I think could have been better. Admittedly, I'm not a big Tarantino fan, and those who are will lap this up. There's lot to commend it for, and I did love the last half hour, but I can't see myself watching it again. Each to their own.