“Many people I know in Los Angeles believe that the Sixties ended abruptly on August 9, 1969, at the exact moment when word of the murders on Cielo Drive traveled like brushfire through the community, and in a sense this is true. The tension broke that day. The paranoia was fulfilled,” wrote Joan Didion. Nothing lasts forever and this is especially true in Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film, ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.’ It is a love letter to cinema. It floods the senses with nostalgia. This is a story about dramatic change in Hollywood. Tarantino delivers a masterful and exhilarating period piece that is one of the best films of the year.
The bulk of the story takes place on a February weekend in 1969 where we are introduced to the two leads, middle-aged TV actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Rick was the star of a hit Western show called ‘Bounty Law’ but he is now struggling to figure out his next career move. Lately, he only gets hired to play the heavy on other TV shows. A bigwig played by Al Pacino encourages Rick to go to Italy to revive his career in spaghetti westerns. Since the stunt work dried up, Cliff’s duties include driving Rick to his auditions and on the set. He even performs minor household repairs and acts as a sounding board for Rick’s insecurities. The production design showing the actors riding around in vintage cars through ‘60s Hollywood is nothing less than spectacular.
The other portion of the story belongs to Sharon Tate (the stunning Margot Robbie). She is shown barefoot, pregnant and many of her scenes show her running errands and doing normal things. Tarantino intentionally wants Sharon to wake up on August 9 as if Charles Manson never existed and became a household name. That is the fairytale vibe that ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ evokes so eloquently. Tarantino allows fantasy to interact with reality. The two overlap naturally since this is Hollywood after all. Coincidentally, Rick’s next door neighbor happens to be Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha) and his actress wife Sharon Tate. They represent the new Hollywood.
On the other hand, Rick and Cliff represent old Hollywood. They both demonstrate a strong code of ethics in two important scenes. Cliff is on the set making a guest appearance as a heavy on a TV western. He meets a precocious child actor played by scene stealer Julia Butters. It’s memorable to watch because it enforces the notion of tradition and spiritual discipline that goes into the craft of acting. After speaking to the little girl, he wakes up from his funk and emotionally prepares for the next scene. It reminds us that Hollywood is actually more conservative than it appears on the surface. Cut to Cliff picking up a hitchhiker played by the effervescent actor Margaret Qualley. As she places her bare feet on the dashboard, Cliff proceeds to drive her back to Spahn Movie Ranch in Chatsworth where she lives with a bunch of other hippies. When she propositions Cliff with sex, he refuses on the moral grounds that she is underage. This is another example of the moral code he lives by and the conservatism that existed in the old Hollywood system.
I can go on and on about the dreamy quality that Tarantino brings to the movie business and life in Hollywood in the late ‘60s. There are a few key reasons to go see the director’s latest masterwork. The acting is stellar! Both DiCaprio and Pitt are terrific. Although DiCaprio’s Rick is higher up the food chain in Hollywood, Pitt’s Cliff essentially is the true hero of the movie. We spend a good amount of time with the actor as he uncovers the impending doom lurking at the movie ranch. Besides the amazing chemistry between DiCaprio and Pitt, Robbie as Sharon Tate is a stand-out. The way Tarantino handles her character and revises her story is simply brilliant. It allows her to enjoy her day running errands and checking out her latest film in Westwood. The way she lights up when she sees her name on a movie poster marquee is pure magic. Another reason to run to the theater and see it is all the hidden layers of meaning. If you go into this film knowing that Tarantino has created a fairytale in a movie industry that he passionately loves, you will understand that he is paying homage to Hollywood and exploring archetypes. The last reason to see it is the magnificent production design. It’s like being brought back in a time machine and getting to admire a bygone era in Hollywood. And I love the way there is no LA traffic!
Tarantino delivers a mature, immersive film. This is a filmmaker that is in complete control of the craft. As the suspense builds, we are treated to his signature style of over-the-top ultra violence. Let’s just say that hippies are not cool in Hollywood. The film not only bids adieu to old Hollywood but the flower power innocence of the time. This film is divisive and will provoke debate among moviegoers. Tarantino shows off why he is the most important filmmaker of his generation. ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ is one of those rare films that you will want to see more than once.
