Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

A typically idiosyncratic effort from Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood details the exploits of 1960s era actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his loyal student double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) – with the freewheeling and loose narrative following the pair as they eventually get caught up in the Manson Family’s murderous shenanigans. It’s certainly not surprising to discover that Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, over the course of its admittedly self-indulgent 161 minutes, takes a number of unexpected, almost inexplicable twists and turns, as filmmaker Tarantino employs a meandering structure that ultimately paints an evocative picture of ’60s Hollywood – with the picture’s various tangents, including a long, drawn-out sequence in which Dalton shoots a guest spot on a new television series, cultivating an atmosphere of apparent aimlessness that eventually adds up to an impressively full view of the characters’ lives and their respective circumstances. There’s little doubt, too, that the film benefits substantially from an ongoing emphasis on impressively engrossing sequences (eg Booth visits the Family’s ranch compound), while the raft of astonishingly engrossing performances only perpetuates the movie’s always-engaging atmosphere. (DiCaprio and Pitt’s stunning work here is certainly matched by a first-class supporting cast, for sure.) Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood goes from compelling to flat-out spellbinding in its final stretch, however, as Tarantino delivers an absolutely jaw-dropping climax that ensures the movie ends on as memorable and visceral a note as one could’ve envisioned – which certainly cements the film’s place as a predictably top-tier effort from one of cinema’s most consistent moviemakers.

**** out of ****

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