All The Stars Dazzle in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

I have to start this review with a confession: I’m not a big fan of Quentin Tarantino.

With that said, I can understand the appeal of Tarantino’s work. The over the top action, the meticulous structure of his stories, the way he writes dialogue…much of it is laudable, and his work on Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is no exception.

The film follows a nearly washed up actor named Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double slash best friend, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), as they navigate the complexities of the Hollywood industry. Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) happens to be Rick’s neighbor, and while the film is fictional, the events of the story take place within the year leading up to Tate’s actual murder.

With significantly less focus on action and violence, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a very different flavor of Tarantino. What stands out the most in this production, however, is the cast, featuring impressive performances from Pitt and Robbie, fantastic support from an ensemble cast, and a stunning display of acting talent from DiCaprio.

At 2 hours a 45 minutes…the vast majority of which is devoid of action or violence…this is a film that can be demanding to sit through. And even though I enjoyed Once Upon a Time in Hollywood more than I expected, I’m still not a big fan of Tarantino. Regardless, what this film has to offer in terms of quality storytelling is at best, masterful, and at worst, highly respectable.

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer's Preference - 1 | What does this mean?