Quentin Tarantino is one of the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable film fans in Hollywood. His admiration for works from history, especially from the 60s and 70s, is reflected in all his films. With his tenth film, he delves directly into the changing Hollywood of the time and loses himself a little in it. Of all the Tarantino films, the nature of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is most comparable to that of Jackie Brown. It’s about reconstructing the atmosphere of time. The film floats loosely through the city. The characters drive in their cars through the streets of Los Angeles and listen to the radio, just as Tarantino himself did as a child in the back seat. From below up, from the perspective of a child, one sees the advertising signs on the house walls. The film follows Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his friend and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), as well as to a lesser extent the aspiring Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). Rick is a formerly successful television cowboy from the 50s who never made the leap to become a movie star and now seems to lose the connection in the changing Hollywood. Cliff has his own background story that stands in his way. His job security is directly linked to that of Rick. Sharon, on the other hand, is rather a marginal phenomenon. She can, in contrast to the other two, enjoy her rise. All three main actors are very solid. DiCaprio shows his skills when his character plays in a TV series and is able to show the difference between good and lesser acting. Robbie’s portrayal of Sharon Tate is carefree and full of life. Pitt is the real star of the movie. On the other hand, the talents of Al Pacino or Michael Madsen in their supporting roles are hardly used at all. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has its funny moments and is loaded with allusions to earlier movies (including Tarantino’s own) and Hollywood stories. As expected, the film is very well done from a technical point of view and looks good. It is a homage to the Hollywood of the time, the film industry as a whole and Los Angeles, the city in which Tarantino grew up.
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timethy Olyphant, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
Runtime: 161 min.
Release Date: 2019/05/21 (in Cannes)
Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino
Editor: Fred Raskin
Cinematography: Robert Richardson
Budget: $90-96 million