I have such great memories of watching Quentin Tarantino movies. The memory that stands the tallest in my recollection is being 18 years old and going to see Pulp Fiction for the first time. Of course, I didn't realize what would happen after that in the landscape of movies, but I absolutely remember knowing I'd just watched something that felt incredibly unique and was 100% entertaining throughout. At that time, in 1994, I was floored by how vital and alive the movie felt. The dialogue was so sharp, many of the actors were playing against type, and the movie had the audacity to jump time without pandering to the audience. It was the kind of movie that you immediately wanted to rewatch to put the pieces all together. Then Hollywood tried to replicate it time and again throughout the remainder of the 1990's and beyond. In some ways, Tarantino himself has spent the remainder of his career trying to replicate the lightning bolt surge that was Pulp Fiction.
As with many of the great directors, Tarantino movies are laced throughout with signatures. Be it the narrative structure, the framing of shots, the extended scenes of conversational dialogue, the eventual hyper-violence, or the tight shots of bare-feet, within a few minutes of any Tarantino movie you know you are unmistakably watching a Tarantino movie. Once Upon A Time continues that tradition and, after the western-focused The Hateful Eight, is somewhat of a return to "standard" Tarantino fare - if there is such a thing.
Set in 1969 the story centers on DiCaprio's Rick Dalton. Rick is somewhat a has-been actor whose had brief accomplishments in TV and movies during the 50's and early 60's, but he's on his way out of the limelight. His career has seen much better days. You get the impression that he's never lived up to his own expectations. Rick spends a lot of his time with his primary stunt double, Cliff Booth, played by the incomparable Brad Pitt. To watch DiCaprio and Pitt side-by-side riffing off of one another is a fun time at the movies. For my generation, the combination of Tarantino, Pitt, and DiCaprio is such an intriguing set up. We know both actors have worked with Tarantino before, but not in the same movie. So, for a certain group of people, the movie is a must see just based on who's involved.
Without giving much away that the trailers don't already explain, Rick and Cliff live within close proximity to Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski. The movie takes place prior to the Manson murders and, while this isn't a Manson family movie, it does explore some of the history of the family and that fateful, very horrible event. Sharon Tate is played by Margot Robbie and her performance is a bright spot in the movie. Robbie and Tarantino clearly want viewers to understand and appreciate Sharon in a bit of an homage to her brief career.
As for DiCaprio, he's simply terrific as Rick. He makes you feel bad for this guy, and his performance has moments of hilarity. Pitt is Pitt. He's reliable, always cool, and acts with an effortless charisma. He's one of those actors that holds the screen so unbelievably well that it makes me wonder how many people like him are out there that never ventured into acting. It's hard to imagine movies without Brad Pitt. He'll always be one of my favorites to watch.
This movie has a lot going for it. The recreation of 1969 Hollywood and LA is immersive and impressive. The cars, the buildings, the signage, the tunes on the radio, the clothing, it's all fantastic to view. The late 60's had so much turbulence, not unlike today's times, and it remains a fascinating modern timeframe to me. So, the setting of this film in that era made it all the more interesting to me.
I enjoyed the movie. I'd watch it again. However, I don't think it stands very tall, ultimately, in the Tarantino canon. This being the 9th film from Quentin, I'd rank it behind Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Inglorious Bastards. Those are my favorites. It's above Django Unchained, Jackie Brown and The Hateful Eight. So it's my #6 in the Tarantino-verse. That seems low, but the margin of preference across those first 6 is slim. And you read that right - the Kill Bill's are, in mine and my wife's view, his collective masterpiece.
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