MOVIE REVIEW: ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

MOVIE REVIEW:  ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD



I have NEVER been shy about the fact that I am, indeed, a HUGE Quentin Tarantino fan.  I have pretty much loved every film the man has made, and have appreciated his work towards his art, his appreciation for genre, and his love of film in general.  With his 9th installment--Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood--we see Quentin give his homage to the Hollywood of his youth.  This movie was Quentin's love letter to the Hollywood of the late Sixties, that saw several changes, and also a glimpse into the town in 1969.  

The movie stars Leonard DiCaprio as aging Hollywood star Rick Dalton, who spent the primary years of his career as a TV star on a hit show.  He's flanked throughout the movie by his stuntman/longtime friend Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt.  It seems that Dalton is going through a crisis, and Booth, his driver and pal, does his best during the film to reassure him that he's still got what it takes.  DiCaprio is then approached by a film producer played by Al Pacino, with an offer for a feature film...in Italy.  DiCaprio and Pitt off the bat display incredible chemistry, and give you the feel that these guys have been best buds forever, and--no matter what--Cliff has stood by Rick through thick and thin.  This is central relationship of the whole film, and you LIKE seeing these two interact.  Tarantino's dialouge is crisp, and the characters are well fleshed out.  Rick even tries to get Cliff a stunt job on his latest western, but Cliff---who apparently has a checkered past involving his wife's death, has a fight on the back lot with a very boastful Bruce Lee, played by Mike Moh (who, I might add...had Bruce's mannerisms and voice down pat), but I can't say I was happy with the fact that Cliff---even though he's a stuntman---should NOT be kicking Bruce Lee's ass in ANY WAY shape or form.  I felt that was a misstep by Quentin, as he took some liberties with Lee as a character in order to put Cliff over, and make him smarter than the martial arts legend.  Kurt Russell and Zoe Bell as husband and wife team Randy and Janet Miller.  Janet hates Cliff because she believes he killed his wife, and he ends up getting kicked off the film after the Lee altercation.  I should also mention that Russell also serves as the film's narrator.

In the film, we also get to meet Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie.  Tate lives on the infamous Cielo Drive right next to Rick Dalton in the Hollywood Hills.  Robbie presents Tate as a very happy-go-lucky starlet who just happens to be over the moon that she's in a movie.  We even see her attend her own movie, and watches it like a giddy schoolgirl, all the while enjoying the audience reaction in the theater.  Rafal Zawierucha plays Roman Polanski, famous director and the husband of Tate.  We get to see her friend Jay Siebring, played by Emile Hersch, as well as several of her other friends (who, in real life, would be later murdered by Charle's Manson's "Family" in the summer of 1969).  But what we get isn't much from her, as she is merely more of a semi-major player in this film, and only plays a bit role in Cliff and Rick's story.  

We see Cliff get involved with a young girl named "Pussycat", played by Margaret Qualley.  Pussycat is a part of "Charlie's Family".  And we BRIEFLY see Charlie as he's looking for a friend of his, who happens to live on the same street Dalton does, and Cliff sends him off into the direction of his quarry.  Damon Harriman gets the credit for playing Charles Manson for the film.  It's the only time we really see him, as he's only mentioned by name the rest of the film.

Cliff drives Pussycat out to the Spahn Ranch, where he meets most of Charlie's "Family".  And has a run in with "Squeaky" Fromme, played VERY well by Dakota Fanning.  Spahn himself, practically on his deathbed in this film, is played by veteran Bruce Dern.  Cliff is an old friend of Spahn, and wanted to say hello, but is met with resistance from Charlie's family.  He runs afoul of the group, but handles himself against one of the men, and takes off.  Squeaky informs another of Charlie's members..."Tex", to tell Charlie what's up.

Dalton is filming his western, when he's upset that he's messing up his lines, and gets some much needed confidence from his 8 year old co-star, played by Julia Butters. Eventually, he goes on a six-month stint in Italy with Cliff, and they do the spaghetti western, and he eventually gets married to an Italian actress.  They all head back home, and with a new wife in tow, Dalton can no longer afford Cliff's services.  Cliff's cool with it, and feel they need one last hurrah at his house.  So, on the night of August 8, 1969, while they're partying, getting drunk, and high at Dalton's house, members of Charlie's family have made it to Cielo Drive, and head into Dalton's residence, where Rick is in the pool relaxing, and Cliff is inside.  They group attacks, and a huge bloody fight ensues.  While some of the Family members get their licks in on Cliff, he manages to fight them off, as well as his dog, whom is with him at this time.  The dog is well trained, and attacks to fight off the attack.  Dalton's wife is freaked out, as she was inside awakened by the ruckus.  She's taken hostage, but fights off the attack as well.  Things get extremely violent, as Cliff kills two members of the Family, and the other female of the group makes her way outside where Dalton is, and has her gun pointed.  Dalton comes back with a blowtorch, and kills her in his pool.  The movie ends with the police arriving to take statements, and the ambulance carries Cliff off to the hospital.  Dalton eventually meets up with Sharon Tate, who hears the ruckus next door, and they immediately hit it off as neighbors.  

Now...I admit...I was unsure just HOW Quentin was going to handle the situation with Charles Manson and his Family, but I have to say---I didn't think he'd take creative license with history, and re-write it.  But, as he did with Inglorious Basterds, Tarantino decides to tell a different story that fit his specific narrative.  And honestly...it works.  Sure, we get the usual dose of Tarantino violence, but considering the perpetrators in question, it's easy to see WHY things broke down so violently, when you compare to what happened in real life.  Still...it unnerves you a bit, and if you're not used to the kind of violence in a Tarantino movie...you're NOT gonna like this.  But...I wish this ACTUALLY would've happened the night of August 8, 1969 instead of what DID transpire.  

Tarantino paints a very colorful palate visually.  We are definitely transported back in time with the cars, the sights, the sounds...especially the sounds.  You can always count on Tarantino to dip into his own personal record collection to put together his soundtrack.  The soundtrack to this movie harkens back to the days of Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown.  A great rock soundtrack, with even MORE added audio accuracy with the voice of radio legend "The Real" Don Steele pre-and-post announcing, PSA's, commercial spots, all from his days at 93.1 KHJ-FM in Los Angeles.  Now, I am pretty sure Quentin pulled A LOT of that from the KHJ archives in order to lend authenticity to the film.  Steele was part of KHJ's big "Boss Radio" heyday.

Tarantino also gives us a slew of his favorite guest starts in this film, such as Bruce Dern, Michael Madsen, James Remar, James Marsden played Burt Reynolds, Harley Quinn Smith and Rumer Willis played a couple of Charlie's girls, as well as Lena Dunham, Maya Hawke.  Rebecca Gayheart also had a bit role, as well as Damien Lewis, who portrayed a VERY well done Steve McQueen (which, if they did a McQueen biopic...he's the guy!).  This is the first film I didn't see or hear Samuel L. Jackson in it.  We also got an appearance from Nicholas Hammond, who'd starred in The Martian Chronicles, as well as playing Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the late 70's Spider-Man TV show.  

Overall, I love and appreciate Quentin's attention to genre, to craft, and to detail.  Not just dialogue and fleshed out characters, but in costume, scenery, and even sound.  He's a stickler for detail, and that's what makes his films so visually stunning.  From fake ads like Red Apple, to just the overall cinematography.  This is a man who is in deep love with film.  It shows in every project he does.  My only regret--is that I didn't get to see this movie in the theatre, where it could be seen on 70 mm screen.  It would've certainly enhanced my viewing pleasure of it.  But...I didn't get to see either Reservoir Dogs or The Hateful Eight in their theater runs, either.  But still...for what it's worth, I enjoyed all them...and THIS movie, as well.

It's a time capsule into the past...to a time of great changes, both in Hollywood...and the world.  Not going to get too much closer to what life was like than this picture.  This was Quentin's childhood...and I feel he not only to relive it...but show US what it was like for HIM...through HIS eyes.  Like the last few of his films, they do run just past the 2.5 hour mark, and this isn't the typical fare where he's got a lot of action in it.  It might not be for you, but it was for me.  I STILL recommend it...even if only to witness a great Oscar performance from Brad Pitt.