'Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director; Quentin Tarantino, Best Actor; Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Supporting Actor; Brad Pitt, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

Won: Best Supporting Actor; Brad Pitt and Best Production Design.

Synopsis: A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.

Runtime: 161 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for language throughout, some strong graphic violence, drug use, and sexual references)

Who should see it? Adult fans of Tarantino's filmography.

Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is the ninth film to be written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino's been vocal about calling it quits after his tenth, so Once Upon A Time In Hollywood may perhaps be his penultimate feature. Regardless, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a unique entry in his robust filmography. Though distinctly Tarantino on account of extended dialogue and peculiar, prominent emphasis on feet, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood differs considerably from the rest of his work. Morally ambiguous protagonists are absent while brutality is reserved for choice moments. Instead, Tarantino reminisces on a bygone era of Hollywood with a lighthearted, sentimental love letter.

Contrary to most contemporary releases, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood takes the time to immerse the audience in a pseudo-1969 Hollywood and the routine lives of its fictional and factual subjects. Tarantino's careful approach will risk being labeled as tedious and inconsequential by many viewers. Patient audience members will no doubt be rewarded as lunacy ensues in the form of a gloriously insane third act. However, the meticulous journey is meant to expand our understanding of these characters and establish the geography and atmosphere of Los Angeles fifty years ago. There's painstaking attention to detail in Los Angeles' significant '60s landmark recreations as well as the ensemble's wardrobe and hairstyling. Not to mention, everything is magnificently captured by Tarantino's frequent cinematographer Robert Richardson, and the film features a groovy soundtrack of curated '60s hits. Nobody makes movies quite like Tarantino.

Though Tarantino's body of work is often tinged with dark humor, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is the closest Tarantino's come to making a full-blown comedy... And it's hysterical, but also profound. The auteur remains wholeheartedly committed to crafting elaborate scenes depicting DiCaprio's Rick Dalton acting in television serials solely dedicated to underscoring a punch-line or emotional beat. As viewers are treated to a taste of Dalton's waning fictional film and television career, they also get a glimpse of real-life actress Sharon Tate on the rise. A bittersweet notion considering her actual fate, and one that lingers over the proceedings as audiences wonder whether Tarantino will rewrite history where the Manson Family is concerned ala Inglorious Basterds. A question I dare not answer here.

Leading Tarantino's star-studded cast, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt share sacred chemistry that will surely go down as one of the best all-time onscreen bromances. In his first performance following his long-deserved Oscar win for The Revenant, DiCaprio lends a multifaceted portrayal of an insecure actor struggling with the bumpy road of stardom. This vulnerability is a side of DiCaprio audiences have hardly seen before, and he's tremendous in the role of course. On the other hand, Pitt exudes a cool bravado as Dalton's laidback stuntman, driver, and best friend, Cliff Booth. A pantheon of movie stars, crew members, and free-spirited hippies are brought to life by the likes of Al Pacino, Kurt Russell, Bruce Dern, Mike Moh, Timothy Olyphant, Margaret Qualley, Dakota Fanning, and Austin Butler. 

As Sharon Tate, Margot Robbie secured prominent billing in the marketing. However, the character's ultimately unrelated to the primary plot. Robbie imbues Tate with warmth, kindness, and a jubilant spirit that was a joy to watch, but she had less screen time and dialogue than I expected. When the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, a journalist asked Robbie and Tarantino why Robbie didn't have more speaking lines. Though I understand the intent behind the question, I think the question was a bit inappropriate and presumptuous considering the story's not really about Sharon Tate and additional dialogue wasn't really necessary. It was evident to me that Tarantino was interested in honoring the lesser-known qualities of Sharon Tate that are overshadowed by the tragic circumstances of her death.

Unexpected scene-stealers included Cliff Booth's pit bull and the young Julia Butters. Portraying a precocious method actor (the character deems the word "actress" restrictive) named Trudi, Butters held her own sharing the screen with DiCaprio. A commendable feat in-of-itself and Butters' mature demeanor made the scene all the more amusing.

If the marquee names associated with Tarantino's latest flick weren't enough to tell you Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is a must-see motion-picture, I'll happily oblige in further supporting that notion. It's entertaining, original, remarkably well-crafted, and harkens back to simpler times. How often does a film like that come around?

Film Assessment: A

'The Nice Guys' Review

The Nice Guys is a buddy cop detective film set in 1977 Los Angeles. It brings the unlikely pairing of a lackadaisical private investigator and tough muscle for hire together to work on a case to find a missing girl, Amelia, and there turns out to be a much larger conspiracy at play. I won't go too much further into the details of the case since it's best going into the film with a blank slate.

The Nice Guys is the latest directorial effort from Shane Black, most well known for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3, and Black manages to seemingly recapture the atmosphere of the groovy 70s vibe (I'll never actually know since I wasn't alive) and match that with a buddy cop detective premise to provide an entertaining two hours of downright fun.

I have to commend the production design team for making what I believed to be a very convincing 70's setup along with the costume, hair and makeup departments for further adding to the authenticity. When the film didn't utilize it's groovy soundtrack that probably should be titled "Greatest Hits of the 70's," the score composed by David Buckley and John Ottman was, as those from the era would say, "far-out." Those familiar with Black's work and style won't be too surprised with what he brings to the table, pure wit.

The Nice Guys' greatest asset is it's smart screenplay penned by Black and cowriter, Anthony Bagarozzi. The two managed to craft an engaging plot that kept you guessing with interesting characters bringing charm, originality, and heart to the forefront. The dialogue in this film is literally laugh out loud hilarious and some of these one-liners had me dying of laughter in the theater. The dialogue isn't just funny because of what is said but also where it comes from, as Black and Bagarozzi craft cunning remarks and expertly stage who delivers them.

The performances from the marvelous cast only enhance these witty zingers. Russell Crowe gets to tackle the beefy role of the rugged enforcer, Jackson Healy, while Ryan Gosling slips into the role of the halfhearted P.I., Holland March.

The chemistry between these two actors is gold and the unique pairing of these distinctly different characters is the crux of what makes the buddy cop dynamic of The Nice Guys work. Both actors gave it their all and were an absolute delight to watch onscreen.

One huge surprise standout was child actor Angourie Rice, who played March's resilient daughter, Holly. Rice manages to bring both comedic gold to the film in the form of her brutally honest remarks to her father and a touch of heart as the moral center. Typically, this type of character would be brushed off as annoying, but Rice has such self assuredness that it's near impossible not to find her character endearing. Trust me, this kid has a bright career ahead of her.

I won't discuss the other actors for fear of spoilers but the supporting cast composed of Margaret Qualley, Kim Basinger, and Matt Bomer are serviceable in the capacity used. Whether it be for a few witty one-liners, villainy, or just to partake in the bizarre set pieces visited by the investigative duo, the cast certainly fill the blank spots in the narrative nicely, no pun intended.

The film has a hard "R"rating with tons of vulgarity, dark humor, and brief nudity sprinkled throughout as the missing person just so happens to be a porn star (don't worry, there's never any sex). Therefore, I feel it's only appropriate for those legally allowed to see the film (Ages 17 & up). I'd highly advise against bringing children anywhere near it.

The Nice Guys is the best original film I've seen this year in a film release schedule filled to the brim with sequels, biopics, and book, video game, and comic book adaptations. The film is remarkably charming, witty, and provides a fresh breath of originality into the film space that I feel will probably be even more enjoyable with a rewatch. I highly recommend it as a must watch for any fans of Shane Black's work or those in need of some quality original content.

Film Assessment: A-