Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

It has often been said that writers tend to pour parts of themselves into their work, and there is a lot of truth to that particular saying. Because every writer out there draws from the world that surrounds them, allowing for memories both good and bad to find their way into a story, or a quirky encounter at the supermarket for that matter as well and it’s something we’ve seen from the greats time and time again. After all, Stephen King was well known for putting some of his personal battles with drugs and alcohol into his work, and George Romero once made an entire film that spoke to his thoughts on the movie business and its evolution.
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But while the reasons for why a particular moment in time is preserved within a story vary from writer to writer, the true purpose of injecting one’s soul into the work remains the same in that, there is catharsis and closure to be found by putting it onto the page. If anything, I’ve always found this to be a fascinating aspect of creativity since so much of what a writer injects about their life into their novel or screenplay or short story, remains hidden beneath the words. But sometimes, what they wish to say springs to the surface, and all of this is on my mind today, simply because it’s something that is present and prevalent in the latest offering from Writer/Director Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Which quite frankly, is stunning to say the least since Mister Tarantino rarely puts his heart upon his sleeve when it comes to his motion pictures, and at first glance, it’s hard to spot the more personal nature of what he’s trying to say thanks to the sprawling and beautiful story that this film provides us with, something that is only further enhanced by the enriching and fascinating characters present here. Because Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth’s respective plights are entrancing to say the least and that’s thanks in large part to the earnest and powerful performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, who chew up the scenery every single second they are on screen. But as the movie rolls on, and we learn more about these two gentlemen and the magical era they inhabit, the personal nature of the script begins to expose itself, by way of Rick’s journey in this tale. 

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Because this nervous actor, one who firmly believes his career is barreling toward its end, ponders upon things that no other Tarantino character has before. For Rick spends a lot of time thinking about and vocalizing his missteps during his career, which leaves him to worry about his legacy and what his life will look like when he leaves cinema and well, considering the fact that Tarantino himself is planning to retire after his tenth film, and this is number nine, the personal parallel here is striking. After all, who doesn’t take inventory when they’ve reached the end of a long journey, and it really seems that this script was the best way for Quentin to ponder upon what the next chapter of his life is going to look like when he leaves film as well and that makes for some supremely fascinating insight into his mind and it also makes Rick perhaps his most dynamic character to date.
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Yet, what’s equally impressive about this film, is everything else that it has to offer outside of its grandiose character study. For this motion picture is also a wonderful love letter to the end of the golden age of Hollywood, and the glamour and glitz present here provides the audience with a little bit of insight into an era of film where blockbusters simply didn’t exist and the art of filmmaking was celebrated over anything else, and I especially loved how Tarantino even pays tribute to the classic tropes in the industry by way of his introduction of the Manson family into this particular tale. Which sounds odd, I know, but hear me out. Because so many classic films featured everyday people living their lives while a landmark moment in history happened around them, and this is Quentin’s wild version of that, one that features an ending for the ages, and really, all of these elements make for one interesting ride for the audience.

Because this is clearly Quentin’s earnest attempt to make a genuinely sprawling Hollywood epic, one that doesn’t involve the fantastical or the quirky, and well, he succeeds, and I think that honestly surprises the audience when all is said and done. Because I know the vibe walking out of this film was one of bewilderment, since it didn’t feature over the top characters spewing incredible dialogue. Instead, we were all treated to a film that was intimate and bleak and uncomfortable at times, because of the whole Manson aspect. If anything, this is definitely a film that is worth watching, simply because it is Tarantino’s most complex work to date, and if you’re a fan of his work, then you’ll definitely be satisfied. But if you’re not a hardcore fan of his movies, there’s still plenty to enjoy here, because this is not the everyday summer blockbuster, it’s an earnest attempt to revitalize the glamour and glitz of an era long gone and that alone, definitely makes this film worth your while. 

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