ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
3 out of 5 stars
Quentin Tarantino is a one-of-a-kind filmmaker. At this point, he gets what he wants – and rightfully so. Yet, his ninth film falls short of what audiences want or need. His overlong love letter to a bygone era in Hollywood toys with history as it moseys around a business and culture that’s becoming unrecognizable.
As a current drunk and former TV star who craves relevance once more, Leonardo DiCaprio is sensational. Same goes for Brad Pitt, playing an easygoing stuntman who can get violent in a hurry. The bond between them is empathetic, funny, and emotionally complex. They make a big screen team that’s out-of-sight. While the guys get to show off, Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate is there only to represent innocence and be a constant reminder of the horrific tragedy that awaits her.
Tarantino’s obsession and passion for movies can be found in every shot, and how easy it is to be consumed by it all. The look, feel, and music of the late ’60s is pumping through the plot’s veins; but what’s it all for when that necessary connection tying it all together feels like an afterthought? We’ve seen way too much shit for that to happen. I’ve never been disappointed in a Tarantino movie…until Once Upon a Time In Hollywood.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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