«Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood»: Tarantino's fairytale lacks bite

Luca Fontana

2.8.2019

Translation: Eva Francis

Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio play two cinematic old-timers in «Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood». In his latest outing, director Tarantino indulges his love of retro '60s Hollywood – and unexpectedly reveals some weaknesses.

Quentin Tarantino's «Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood» is an homage to the glamour of Hollywood at the end of the 1960s. Back then, larger-than-life film stars delivered glamour and box office success, unlike today's sequels, reboots and multiple-movie franchises.

What works?

In true Tarantino style, not much happens, then even less happens, before all hell breaks loose at the end. That's what sets Tarantino films apart, even if the director has hit his distinctive cinematic notes more sweetly in the past. In its best moments, «Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood» is the film of the year. In its worst, however, it's pure torture.

A washed up star and his stunt man

Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his loyal friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) don't recognise Hollywood anymore. Rick, the star of a once successful Western TV series has to face up to being one of the old guard. The only roles he's getting now are the bad guy who's beaten up by the young rising star.

Things are even worse for Cliff. Due to a shady past, where he may or may not have killed his wife, and Rick's fading fame, his jobs are drying up altogether. Because Cliff is Rick's stunt double. Now, though, he's more like his chauffeur, errand boy and moral support.

After a meeting with Hollywood agent Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino), Rick Dalton heads to Italy to film a Spaghetti Western. But not before actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha) move in next door, Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) shows up and a clueless Cliff Booth stumbles across Charles Manson's cult. The Charles Manson that ordered the gruesome murder of Sharon Tate in 1969.

1960s Hollywood

Taratino is essentially telling a fairytale. It all starts with the title: Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood.

Two guys who are friends, but could easily be brothers. A film industry that could hardly seem more glamorous, but is actually ruthless and cold-hearted. Like in a fairytale, Tarantino doesn't stick particularly closely to historical fact. We already know this from «Inglourious Basterds».

But that's what makes «Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood» so magical, because the whole sideshow is done right: entire parts of LA are completely transformed as if someone travelled back in time and filmed there. Brightly coloured, skintight T-shirts with flared trousers, swinging music, old cars and high spirits. It's an opportunity for us viewers to take a dip into the retro nostalgia of the 1960s.

The film then follows a typical day for its two protagonists. Rick is a struggling TV star, whose Hollywood career never really took off. He drowns his frustration in alcohol. An eight-year-old girl who's a little ahead of him offers some advice: method acting. In 1969. A funny idea.

The highlight of the film is a ten-minute scene on Rick's rooftop where Cliff is fixing the TV antenna. I won't give away why the scene is so good and even exists. The only thing I'll say is: Tarantino is a daredevil. He turns things that sound like a terrible idea on paper into success.

There's a film within a film here. For ten minutes. The film within a film is so good that I definitely want to see it as bonus material and in feature length on Blu-ray. Then, in the silliest moment, Rick has to ask for a prompt. «Oh right, this is the film within the film,» I thought. Rick's subsequent tantrum is ideal fodder for future memes. These are the moments that make Tarantino's love letter to Hollywood one of the best things I've seen at the cinema this year. Moments of sheer cleverness. Perfect.

But then the second act starts. This the real torture.

Tarantino is losing his touch

The problem with the whole retro, nostalgic farewell fuss is that it drags on. Tarantino's «Hollywood» babbles on sluggishly for the second act. Mainly because nothing noteworthy actually happens. Several times, I found myself getting annoyed because I hadn't got a clue what the film really wanted of me.

Take the chaotic time jumps, which have to be explained by a narrator – a lazy gimmick from the storyteller's box of tricks – and text overlays, even though they only work in about one in a thousand films. They stand out so much because Tarantino never does justice to his strengths: razor-sharp dialogue, weird camera angles and strong female characters. Everything in the film feels stale.

Or like the two friends are watching one of Rick's films. The scene stretches on and leads absolutely nowhere. Obviously, there's a sense of self-mockery in 44-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio and 55-year-old Brad Pitt playing two aging losers having mid-life crises. But not for ten whole minutes. Not when there's no pay-off. I was in danger of falling asleep. What's the point, Tarantino?

And the worst part? Margot Robbie. Her talent is totally wasted because she isn't given anything to do other than look good. If Tarantino was playing with expectations and trying to surprise his viewers, he succeeded – but not in a good way.

Just before the film drowns in its own nonchalance, it redeems itself in the third and final act, where 90% of the action takes place. The pure escalation is typical of Tarantino. I gleefully caught myself asking how everything got to this point. I didn't see any of it coming. It was awesome.

There they are again: the moments that make me love «Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood».

Verdict: tame, but refreshingly unconventional

«Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood» is one of those kinds of films that's incredibly hard to make a judgement on. Great moments that let Tarantino's genius shine go hand in hand with a complacent second act which is badly constructed and poorly told. The dialogue in «Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood» also lacks the characteristic bite of other Tarantino films.

But I do like the film. Maybe because its ode to the 1960s goes against everything else coming out of Hollywood. «Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood» is often too tame – sometimes excruciatingly so – but it's also refreshingly unconventional.

Box office sales agree with Tarantino. «Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood» has had the most successful opening weekend of any Tarantino film.

Catch «Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood» in cinemas across Switzerland from 15 August. The film's runtime is 161 minutes.

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more

These articles might also interest you