Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019)

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

• Talk about an amazing movie. I had pretty high expectations for this movie before seeing it, and let me say, they were almost all shattered in every way. The story was extremely good, and I love how it deals with an actor who thinks he is in a downfall. Although Rick Dalton is a fictional character, he could’ve easily been based off of someone in particular. His life story is probably really similar to some real actors, which makes this movie feel pretty realistic. I also love how a stuntman is a huge staple of this movie, and it’s just a cool and rare thing to see. One of the most interesting parts of the movie is how certain chunks of it deal with the Manson family. It was a great choice of characters and plot, as well as a great piece of writing from Tarantino. After establishing who the characters are, you think you know how the movie will end. But, without spoiling, the thing you think is going to happen doesn’t. In fact, the last 25 minutes of this movie are insanely good, and one of the best movie endings I’ve ever seen in my whole life. All the characters are extremely convincing in their roles, and each one adds a special spark to the movie. Leo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt are an absolutely awesome duo, and I’m extremely glad they were cast in these roles. They both perfectly fit their characters, and they pulled it off in a really good way. Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate was a great casting, and though I’ve never seen Tate’s acting, Robbie was a great physical resemblance. Austin Butler was also really good, and he does a great job of playing a hippie psycho. One of my favorite things about the movie is how there were some minor yet famous characters cast, such as Cass Elliot and Bruce Lee. I also love how Dennis Wilson was mentioned, and bringing in the Manson/Beach Boys history was awesome. The music was really good, and both the score and included songs fit the movie’s setting extremely well. The setting of this movie was one of the best I’ve seen, and it makes you feel like you’re in 1969 the entire time. It has great references to Batman, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and things like that. The clothes and cars fit the setting and tone beautifully, and everything felt authentic. I also loved how there were some “home movies” used to make this feel even more real. I also loved how you could see the final products of the TV shows that some of the characters filmed, as well as the actual filming of certain TV show scenes. The last thing I’ll mention is the end credits. They’re easily some of the best credits I’ve seen, and it uses a cigarette commercial just like the ones in the 60’s. Also, and old Batman radio commercial is played over the credits, and I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time. I freaking loved how they used it, and it left you with a great nostalgic feeling. Overall, this movie was freaking amazing, and I would highly recommend it. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!