There are two things to expect from a Quentin Tarantino film. The first is violence, and the second is language that would might offend a sailor. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, delivers on this. The thing that makes the movie different, is the camaraderie, between two people. The two main characters, Rick Dalton, (Leonardo DiCaprio), and Cliff Booth, (Brad Pitt), need each other. That is because a changing Hollywood, doesn’t need them.
Rick Dalton is a struggling actor, taking tv roles, mainly as villains. Cliff Booth, is having trouble getting work as a stuntman. This is because of a scandal in his recent past. Booth’s main job is as a driver for Dalton. The struggling actor can’t drive, because of several DWI’s. Dalton attempts to revive his career, by meeting with producer, Marvin Schwarz, (Al Pacino). This is a small role for Pacino, but he nails it.The producer likes his work. He suggests Dalton go to Italy to make cheap films. Dalton takes the suggestion under advisement.
A highlight of the movie, is when Cliff Booth gets work as a stuntman. He is working with Bruce Lee, (Mike Moh). Booth, hearing Lee talk about his martial arts skills, challenges him. They fight and damage a car. It belongs to Janet Miller, (Zoe Bell), the stunt coordinator’s wife. She is furious and Randy Miller, (Kurt Russell), fires him. Quentin Tarantino’s films involve action, and the brief fight, is one of his best action scenes. Cliff also provides humor, when he gets a flat tire. He knows it was intentional, and confronts the vandal, a hippie. The tire is changed, after a one sided fight, with the vandal.
The main focus of the movie is the Hollywood lifestyle. There is Rick Dalton, who has a nice home, but has wrecked his career, because of alcohol. This is shown, when he flubs his lines doing a western tv show. He later becomes angry, and trashes his trailer. This is a sad but true commentary on many Hollywood celebrities. The Hollywood elite are shown at a party at the playboy mansion. A highlight of this scene is the music. The movie itself, has a great soundtrack.The audience sees Steve McQueen, Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass Elliott of The Mama’s and The Papa’s. Sharon Tate, (Margo Robbie) and her husband Roman Polanski,(Rafal Zawierucha), are also partygoers at the mansion. The film shows Sharon Tate as an actress hoping for a big break. Margo Robbie does a good job in her role. Sharon Tate, at one point, goes to see a Dean Martin/Matt Helm movie, in which she appeared. The audience cheers her scene. To reflect the time period of the 1960’s, many Hollywood Blvd. theater facadeswere changed. Many theater owners liked them so much, that they wanted to keep them. The movie also goes to the other side of life around tinseltown. This is the drop out world of hippies. It is shown in the form of the Manson family.
The hippie world intersects with Cliff Dalton, when he picks up a hitchhiker named Pussycat, Margaret Qualey. She lives on a ranch, with the Manson family. This is also where Cliff’s old friend, George Spahn, (Bruce Dern) lives. The family is squatting on the ranch. They resent Cliff’s intrusion. He of course resents their intrusion into his friend’s life. The family will later intrude into Cliff and Rick’s lives.
This movie was in development for several years, by Quentin Tarantino. He has done well in framing the lives of two people into the counterculture of the sixties. They manage to fit into it, with some adjustment. Cliff Booth seems to understand things better than Rick Dalton. Cold reality does hit Rick Dalton in the face eventually. Cliff Booth is played expertly by Brad Pitt. His work was recognized by the academy. He received an Oscar for best supporting actor. Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were good in this movie. They got along well for two A-list stars. They said they would like to work together again. Actors are always looking for their next vehicle. Maybe the two of them would be able to get together on a script they both like.