"Once Upon A Time In Hollywood": Movie Review
Quentin Tarantino's 10th film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie is a foolishly incoherent, and blatantly self absorbed piece of filmmaking. It's quite literally, a puzzling exercise of futility, made for one person and one person only, director/writer Quentin Tarantino. While it succeeds in presenting an era of the late 60's with confidence and grace (through wonderful costume and set design), "One Upon A Time In Hollywood" is the most selfishly indulgent, and narcissistic Tarantino film to date.In the ever changing age of 1969, a has been TV star, Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) and stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) try to maintain their fame, during Hollywood's Golden Age. The film drips of style, with small details of 60's brands such as Red Apple Cigarettes, Chattanooga Beer, and Big Kahuna Burger to name a few.
The performances however, are a mixed bag. Pitt's acting is light and involving, especially with his diligently trained pit bull, who's mouth drooling violence steals the show in the final act. Robbie as Sharon Tate I found to be the most engaging, as her lack of direction post fame is intriguing to say the least. However, DiCaprio's impersonation of a fading TV celebrity is goofy at best and distracting at worst, and his incorrigible stutter is an awful addition, to an already poorly developed character.
But, the biggest and most obvious issue with the film is it's uselessness as an examination of the Golden Age of Hollywood. From behind the scenes filmmaking with Rick Dalton, to an insulting portrait of Bruce Lee, they're all pointless characterizations, that lead to a foreseeable dead end. And even though the Manson plot is quite entertaining, it's mockery of the true reality is quite nauseating.At the end of it all, it's enjoyable climax and lovely set design, can't make up for it's dreadful faults, as "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" is a disastrous attempt at fictionalizing the 60's.
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