Among a vast catalogue of genre-bending, violence-filled, culturally iconic works Quentin Tarantino can boast about, one more recent gem has been recently praised as one of his very best – and it’s now on Netflix.
Known for his distinctive style characterized by non-linear narratives, stylized violence, and pop culture references, Tarantino is the mind behind Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds and Reservoir Dogs, just to mention a few of his major cinematic ventures.
He is also credited with pushing actors into the spotlight and uncovering the talent of stars such as Christoph Waltz, who gained international acclaim for his role in Inglourious Basterds, and Austin Butler, who got his start with Tarantino before going on to star in Elvis. Tarantino also played a key role in reviving John Travolta’s career with “Pulp Fiction” and helping to establish Samuel L. Jackson as a major star.
But one of his most recent films went against that trend, and had a superstar duo as its main characters. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) follows fading TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) – who live next door to Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski – as they navigate a changing Hollywood in 1969, leading up to the Manson Family murders.
The film explores themes of fame, decline, and the clash between old and new Hollywood while also offering a fictionalized account of the events that led to the Tate-LaBianca murders, though it mostly focuses on the aftermath and the lives of the characters involved.
The film is set in Los Angeles during the summer of 1969, a period marked by both the end of the swinging ’60s and the beginning of a more turbulent era.
It also features well-established figures such as Al Pacino, Margot Robbie – as Sharon Tate -, Dakota Fanning and Lena Dunham – plus Margaret Qualley, Austin Butler, Mikey Madison and Sydney Sweeney when they still hadn’t had their big Hollywood break.
Quentin Tarantino’s film is a love letter to the golden age of Hollywood, while also acknowledging its darker aspects and the changing times. He mentioned wanting it to be titled Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, evoking the idea of a fairy tale, and publicly referred to the project as Magnum opus.
Finally, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood makes reference to several real-life cinema and historical key figures of the time. Apart from Sharon Tate, Roman Polanski, Charles Manson and his “family”, the film sees apparitions by characters Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, the Mamas & the Papas, James Stacey and Sam Wanamaker.
Upon release, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood saw box office success, and grossed a total of $392 million worldwide.
Both specialised media and online criticism praised it, and the film holds a 86% score on reviewing platform Rotten Tomatoes – with some fans describing the film as one of Tarantino’s best works.
“Tarantino delivers another provocatively humorous and off-the-wall entry to his pantheon. The chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt makes them the best duo in recent memory. Their interactions are spot-on”, one wrote. “And the ending presents an alternate view of history that many might wish had transpired”.
Another did not shy away from expressing their high praises: “There’s not a single movie I want to live inside more. Tarantino’s re-imaging of 60s Los Angeles gives way to two iconic characters that will run in movie canon alongside Butch and Sundance.”
A third commented: “Another Flawless film with outstanding performances from Pitt and DiCaprio. This is my favorite Tarantino film so far.”
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) is now available to stream on Netflix.