University Film Review: 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' Analysis

This essay provides a critical review of Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,' exploring the film's narrative, characters, and thematic elements. The essay examines the story of Rick Dalton, a fading actor, and his friend and stunt double, Cliff Booth, set against the backdrop of 1960s Hollywood. It delves into the social hierarchy, the portrayal of friendship, and the director's unique style, including the film's depiction of violence and its connection to the Charles Manson murders. The analysis discusses the performances of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, highlighting their on-screen chemistry and the film's overall impact as a love letter to Hollywood. The essay references various critical reviews to support its arguments and provides a comprehensive understanding of the film's significance in cinematic history.

Running Head: FILM REVIEW
FILM REVIEW
Name of the Student:
Name of University:
Author Note:

1FILM REVIEW
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” seems to be a love letter to Hollywood as Ide (2019)
was trying the phrase the movie. It is considered to be one of the less dramatic movie with lesser
violent picturesque that Quentin Tarantino is famous for. The movie got Oscar nominee in 2020
in different genres from best film to costume design. There are something unique in the movie
and viewers can see a different Tarantino apart from last few scenes. It is important to note that
the film itself is a story of friendship and struggle of veteran actors in Hollywood. However, the
film is not so linear in fashion and perhaps projected different angles of human life. Therefore,
this essay is going to discuss different aspects of the film and critically analyse the theme of the
movie.
The story of the film is a very basic and general in nature where the protagonist of the
story Actor Rick Dalton, enacted b Leonardo DiCaprio, realised that his career in the film
industry is on the verge of end. A popular actor in the 1960s and 1970s, playing the Wild West
vigilante TV series, Dalton is now sceptical about his career in Hollywood and interested to use
his luck in the Italian cinemas. However, his body double and friend Cliff Booth is always there
to give advice and assistance to Dalton in any cases. The movie clearly projected the lifestyle in
Hollywood and vulnerability of the situation for age old actor. From the review of Scott (2019) it
can be stated Hollywood is always interested to give opportunity to the new faces. However, in
due process, the life and alcohol issues made Dalton frustrated and reluctant. Therefore, he
decided to end his friendship with Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie and her husband
Roman Polanski. It is important to note that the film clearly staged the 1960s Hollywood fame
and controversies. In fact, the film was projected specifically on the backdrop of 1969 so that the
murder of Sharon Tate by the infamous cult leader Charles Mason was also depicted into the
film.

2FILM REVIEW
From the social point of view, it can be stated that the film clearly projected the social
hierarchy that Hollywood maintained at that time. It was more seemed to be an aristocratic social
order of which Joan Didion was mentioned in his book in 1973. It was the direction marvel of
Tarantino that he specifically focused on that social hierarchy that Hollywood was known for.
There was a status pyramid where people like Roman Polanski lived near at the end of a gated
driveway, Rick in a spacious ranch house and Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt lived down the
valley (Ide 2019).
It is important to note that the film is also a critically acclaimed one due to projecting the
chemistry of Brand Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio in same scene. Difference in personality and
social status in the Hollywood industry both of them were very good fried that is way beyond the
relationship of brother and less closer to wife (Brody 2019). Rick was a drunker and furious
smoker. He had some bipolar disorder. Actually, the role DiCaprio played was very animatic and
full of expression. On the other hand, Booth was more like a calm and composed person but
capable of serious violence. In respect to this, it can be stated that Tarantino perhaps tried to
describe the sweetness of relationship that made between Cliff and Rick despite of Brand Pitt
was hired as a confidant of Rick Dalton or real life DiCaprio. It is a very rare occasion that the
audience can see a great bonding between two people which cannot be define by love but utmost
respect and understanding (Tallerico 2019).
The final scenes of the film staged on the murder of Sharon Tate by the family members
of infamous Chrles Manson. However, as the audience expected the plot was turned down quite
expectedly as the director Tarantino made it a bit different unlike Inglorious Bastards. The
family members attacked Rick Dalton and a fighting scene was made between Cliff and the
Manson family members. Tarantino could not resisted himself to show the act of violence and

3FILM REVIEW
demonstrated his expertise on violence and romanticism at the same time. This final scene made
the movie more of a Tarantino movie.
It can be argued that the movie clearly represents a 1960s Hollywood picturesque and the
social strata maintained in the Hollywood industry. However, the chemistry of Brad Pitt and
DiCaprio is the asset of the film that truly projects a love between the two characters but not in a
commercial fashion. It was more like an understanding and cooperation that both the characters
maintained in a very delicate manner. From that point of view, it can be concluded that the film
‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ is truly a love letter of Tarantino to the industry.

4FILM REVIEW
Reference
Brody, R., 2019. Review: Quentin Tarantino’S Obscenely Regressive Vision Of The Sixties In
“Once Upon A Time . . . In Hollywood”. [online] The New Yorker. Available at:
<https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/review-quentin-tarantinos-obscenely-
regressive-vision-of-the-sixties-in-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood> [Accessed 21 March 2020].
Ide, W., 2019. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Review – Uneven Ode To A Lost Era. [online]
the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/aug/18/once-upon-a-time-
in-hollywood-review-quentin-tarantino-leonardo-dicaprio-brad-pitt> [Accessed 21 March 2020].
Scott, A., 2019. ‘Once Upon A Time … In Hollywood’ Review: We Lost It At The Movies.
[online] Nytimes.com. Available at: <https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/movies/once-upon-
a-time-in-hollywood-review.html> [Accessed 21 March 2020].
Tallerico, B., 2019. Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood Movie Review (2019) | Roger Ebert.
[online] Rogerebert.com. Available at: <https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/once-upon-a-time-
in--hollywood-2019> [Accessed 21 March 2020].