Movie Review – Once Upon A Time in Hollywood
My Rating – 3 out of 5
Rare is the year in Hollywood when a Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino movie release together! 2019 was one such year. But unfortunately for movie buffs, this phenomenon did not pan out as expected. Good stories, great acting, good direction but neither was riveting enough to hold audiences and garner rave reviews worldwide.
Set in the 1960’s Hollywood, the movie follows the life of fading hero Rick Dalton (Leonardo Dicaprio) and his stunt double and sidekick Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), while interspersing with real life events like Charles Manson and his Cult, the Flower Children and actress Sharon Tate’s murder.
There are some brilliant moments in the movie, e.g. Rick’s conversation with a child artist on the set and a brooding Cliff Booth’s adventures, but the entire movie feels disjointed at places and seems to drag from one scene to another. As it nears the end, one almost feels relieved!
Brad Pitt stands out with his acting chops (as his Awards would later certify) and Leonardo, as usual, is excellent but seems to be forever Oscar unlucky. This year, one couldn’t look beyond Joaquin Phoenix and his Joker for the Best Actor Statuette.
Go see it, if you haven’t yet, just for the acting masterclass!