Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
2019 · Quentin Tarantino · 161 min · Comedy / Drama
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Tarantino's most relaxed and personal film, a sun-soaked love letter to 1969 Los Angeles that spends two and a half hours hanging out with its characters before unleashing a violent, cathartic finale that rewrites history. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt have electric chemistry as a fading TV star and his stuntman, and the recreation of late-1960s Hollywood is meticulous to the point of obsession. The pacing is deliberately languid, with long stretches that prioritize atmosphere over plot, and viewers who need a story to drive forward will find the first two hours aimless. Margot Robbie's Sharon Tate deserved more to do. But as an exercise in mood, nostalgia, and the bittersweet feeling of watching an era end, it's one of Tarantino's richest achievements.