The ninth film from perhaps the most famous auteur of modern cinema feels like a step back for Tarantino in some regards, while also coming across as a more restrained and thoughtful entry from the director. ‘Once upon a Time in Hollywood’ is an ode to a time in Hollywood gone by and feels even more relevant in todays climate in cinema.

Set during 1969, towards the end of Hollywood’s golden age of cinema, the film follows declining actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) as Rick begins to see the reality of his career brought to light and must find a way to further his career of face being washed up. Running parallel to this we see real world up and coming actress of the time Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) in the lead up to what would be her tragic death at the hands of the Manson family. A very loose plot for a film that clearly is not set on telling a traditional three act story, rather it seems to be trying to evoke a feeling of what Hollywood once was.

Tarantino has constructed a film that both feels very familiar in parts to his previous work and yet also comes as something new from him. Yes, the over the top violence is here but is nowhere near as indulgent as some criticised ‘Django’ or ‘Inglorious Basterds’ of being, however, this allows the film to have one of the most satisfying scenes I have seen this year. Where the film differs from previous films of his is in the overall structure and narrative presentation. The smart dialogue is most definitely here, but rather than edge of your seat scenes we are given slow and methodical moments that allow the characters to become fully fleshed out. Both Dalton and Booth are so fantastic to watch, and both DiCaprio and Pitt do fantastic jobs as expected. Margot Robbie however, is given very little to do here with her portrayal of Sharon Tate.

This inclusion of Sharon Tate is one of the film’s most confusing elements. Those who are aware of the real tragedy will begin to construct preconceptions of where the films narrative is going to go. For those who are not aware of the history, I think it is highly beneficial to quickly research it before seeing the film as it makes some key scenes even more effective, or for some, may make them controversial. But what is a Tarantino film without a little controversy.

‘Once upon a Time in Hollywood’ really took me by surprise, I was ready for another Tarantino film, but what I got was a surprisingly bittersweet and touching film. As the film industry seems to be increasingly moving further away from movie stars and fully banking on streaming as the future of the industry, it is a joy to feel the passion Tarantino has for films and I can only hope that this is not the last we see of him.

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie
Kyle Gaffney
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