Film Review: ONCE UPON A TIME ... IN HOLLYWOOD

WDCB’s Gary Zidek reviews Quentin Tarantino’s new film, ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD.

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Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood Review

Gary Zidek

Quentin Tarantino’s new film, ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD, features three of the biggest movie stars in the world. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie play characters in a story set in 1969 Hollywood. The film is populated with real people like Sharon Tate (played by Robbie), Bruce Lee and Charles Manson, but the focus is on the fictional characters played by DiCaprio and Pitt.

Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Al Pacino in ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD

The Manson Family massacre that took place on August 8 & 9 in 1969 looms over the film like a dark cloud. But ONCE UPON A TIME isn’t about the tragedy that claimed the life of Sharon Tate. Rather, Tarantino has crafted an epic ode to late 60’s Hollywood, a place and period of time that obviously mean a lot to him.

I thoroughly enjoyed the almost three hours I spent in the theater watching ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD, though I do have issues with the last 20 minutes. Even with my qualms about the ending, I strongly recommend Quentin Tarantino’s 9th film.

I give it 3.5 ***1/2 out of four stars. ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD is playing everywhere.