A sweeping, nostalgic homage to a bygone cinematic age, as much as an introspection of cultural change and personal fame, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is an affectionate period piece stuffed inside a detailed craft of peripheral history that dominated the year of 1969.
The fairy-tale title tips Tarantino’s hand as to the direction of this fable, but it’s done so well that without intimate knowledge of the events and culture of the 1960’s, the line between fiction and reality is beautifully blurred, beckoning the audience to ask not just whether these events really transpired, but also embracing the counterfactual reality in its dreamlike depiction.
At times a long, admiring exploration of the era and its characters, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” manages an alluring story that basks in the glow of Hollywood’s hold on the American psyche, effectively rendering that mythos with DiCaprio, Pitt, and Robbie embodying the highs and lows of a pivotal, revered time in cultural conscience.
8.6/10
As AJ Thinks 