Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Just like this post lacks a picture, this movie lacks a plot
Quentin Tarantino is a name that for many of people of my generation is synonymous with great film making. Ever since my uncle showed me Pulp Fiction when I was in my early teens and probably way too young to be watching it, I was hooked. I think when I first saw Pulp Fiction, I liked how edgy it was because as a teen what’s cooler than a movie where they curse a lot and people get killed. But I remember loving how there were so many stories being told at one time that slowly began to converge into one coherent narrative. I ended up trying to watch everything he ever directed and when I was old enough always looked forward to the next movie he was going to put out. So, I was excited for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I watched the trailer over and over trying to figure out what the movie was about but it refused to give much away. I ended up avoiding anything about the film and just counting down the days until opening day and last week it finally came.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a hard film to talk about. The plot essentially follows Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), who was an A-list actor that is slowly seeing his career wane as he begins to age and get left behind by Hollywood. He is accompanied by his stunt man, and pseudo personal assistant Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), who has his own trials and tribulations being a man shunned by the industry because rumors had begun to swirl that he had murdered his wife. The two men navigate through their day to day lives in this difficult time in their careers. While their careers are waning, the movie juxtaposes Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who’s career seems to be just beginning. A quick thing to note is that Tate is a based on a real-life actress while Dalton and Booth are not. The movie doesn’t necessarily have a plot it just kind of meanders until the final act, where Tarantino is able to pull all the little story threads together.
This movie has Tarantino’s signature quick witted dialogue so while the story doesn’t necessarily go anywhere your attention is still on the characters. If you’re a fan of his dialogue I think you’ll enjoy the movie regardless. I don’t know if I’m the target audience for the film. It leans heavily on references and throwbacks to the 60’s, which I have little to no knowledge about so I’m sure a lot of things went over my head. I also wasn’t really a fan of the inclusion of Bruce Lee (Mike Moh), he was made to look like a joke and I’m not really sure what his addition accomplished in the film. It just felt like Tarantino thought up some dialogue that he wanted Lee to say so he kinda just threw him into this movie and had him say the lines. Generally, Tarantino’s movies tend to become these showcases for his dialogue but they never impede the story too much. But with Once Upon a Time the entire film feels like a showcase for dialogue with little concern for story. Never did I feel like the movie was telling a story that had a beginning, middle, and end. There were really no clear antagonists or any exciting conflict that the protagonist needed to go up against at least until the final act. This movie at its core is an arthouse film.
I think the movie has a lot of deeper meaning that’s kind of left up to interpretation by the viewer. I don’t know if the movie is kind of Tarantino reflecting on his own career since he was always committed to retiring from directing after 10 films and this one is his 9th. I only say this because at one point in the film Dalton is delivering these lines as a bandit for some film and when he finished his scene partner, who happens to be a little girl, says something like “that’s the greatest acting I’ve ever seen” and then Dalton chokes back some tears. This movie was directed beautifully and I don’t know if that’s what Tarantino wants people to say after watching it but I do have to say “that’s some of the greatest directing I’ve ever seen…” Every single actor in the film had a chance to really chew on the dialogue and shine. I would be surprised if DiCaprio and Pitt don’t get a bunch of award nominations for their roles in this film.
I didn’t love Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I enjoyed the ride it took me on but I didn’t like it. I think it’s my least favorite Tarantino movie. I honestly feel like if any other person had tried to pitch this movie they would have been laughed out of the room. The only reason it works is because of the writing and directing. The plot isn’t really that interesting until the climax and even then it’s more of an “oh” moment rather than a satisfying conclusion. I’ll probably give the film one more watch and see if my opinion changes. I can see why critics and movie buffs could love this movie and give it high praises but as a general audience member it didn’t really do it for me.
TL; DR Great acting, Interesting dialogue. Plot? Not Fucking today. 6 Red Apple Cigarettes out of 10.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a hard film to talk about. The plot essentially follows Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), who was an A-list actor that is slowly seeing his career wane as he begins to age and get left behind by Hollywood. He is accompanied by his stunt man, and pseudo personal assistant Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), who has his own trials and tribulations being a man shunned by the industry because rumors had begun to swirl that he had murdered his wife. The two men navigate through their day to day lives in this difficult time in their careers. While their careers are waning, the movie juxtaposes Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who’s career seems to be just beginning. A quick thing to note is that Tate is a based on a real-life actress while Dalton and Booth are not. The movie doesn’t necessarily have a plot it just kind of meanders until the final act, where Tarantino is able to pull all the little story threads together.
This movie has Tarantino’s signature quick witted dialogue so while the story doesn’t necessarily go anywhere your attention is still on the characters. If you’re a fan of his dialogue I think you’ll enjoy the movie regardless. I don’t know if I’m the target audience for the film. It leans heavily on references and throwbacks to the 60’s, which I have little to no knowledge about so I’m sure a lot of things went over my head. I also wasn’t really a fan of the inclusion of Bruce Lee (Mike Moh), he was made to look like a joke and I’m not really sure what his addition accomplished in the film. It just felt like Tarantino thought up some dialogue that he wanted Lee to say so he kinda just threw him into this movie and had him say the lines. Generally, Tarantino’s movies tend to become these showcases for his dialogue but they never impede the story too much. But with Once Upon a Time the entire film feels like a showcase for dialogue with little concern for story. Never did I feel like the movie was telling a story that had a beginning, middle, and end. There were really no clear antagonists or any exciting conflict that the protagonist needed to go up against at least until the final act. This movie at its core is an arthouse film.
I think the movie has a lot of deeper meaning that’s kind of left up to interpretation by the viewer. I don’t know if the movie is kind of Tarantino reflecting on his own career since he was always committed to retiring from directing after 10 films and this one is his 9th. I only say this because at one point in the film Dalton is delivering these lines as a bandit for some film and when he finished his scene partner, who happens to be a little girl, says something like “that’s the greatest acting I’ve ever seen” and then Dalton chokes back some tears. This movie was directed beautifully and I don’t know if that’s what Tarantino wants people to say after watching it but I do have to say “that’s some of the greatest directing I’ve ever seen…” Every single actor in the film had a chance to really chew on the dialogue and shine. I would be surprised if DiCaprio and Pitt don’t get a bunch of award nominations for their roles in this film.
I didn’t love Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I enjoyed the ride it took me on but I didn’t like it. I think it’s my least favorite Tarantino movie. I honestly feel like if any other person had tried to pitch this movie they would have been laughed out of the room. The only reason it works is because of the writing and directing. The plot isn’t really that interesting until the climax and even then it’s more of an “oh” moment rather than a satisfying conclusion. I’ll probably give the film one more watch and see if my opinion changes. I can see why critics and movie buffs could love this movie and give it high praises but as a general audience member it didn’t really do it for me.
TL; DR Great acting, Interesting dialogue. Plot? Not Fucking today. 6 Red Apple Cigarettes out of 10.
Comments