I remember when this film first came out in cinemas everyone was raving about it because it talked about the Charles Manson murders and Sharon Tate, and so I feel that that’s what really sold this film. So for most of it to actually be about a fictional actor and not Charles Manson or his followers or Sharon Tate at all was really interesting because despite me wanting more of that storyline, I really enjoyed what we got.

Rick Dalton is a fading Hollywood actor who had many successes under his belt but has slowly lost the limelight as his fame has diminished. His stunt double, friend, and worker Cliff Booth is also having trouble finding work due to him working so closely with Rick. There’s even speculation in Cliff’s past about whether he killed his wife or not which is never confirmed or denied but gives you a good insight into him and his psyche.

The way that Rick and Cliff play into Sharon Tate is that Rick is the neighbour and on that fateful night where the Charles Manson family kill Sharon Tate, they actually go to Rick’s house instead and carnage ensues.

Despite this film being over two hours long I got so sucked into the story that it actually passed really quick and I often find with Quentin Tarantino, because the storyline is so interesting and detailed, you can just get lost in the world and all of a sudden hours have passed and you feel completely changed and moved by what you’ve experienced. I especially adored Rick and Cliff’s relationship in this film because they are such fleshed out characters in their own right, but you can see such a bromance between them and how much they need each other to just survive this ever-changing world of Hollywood. I also of course loved Sharon Tate because I love Margot Robbie anyway, and finding out more about her and just spending some time with this actress that got taken far too soon was really enjoyable.

Of course in the end Charles Manson’s family don’t actually go through with the murders and I find that a really interesting take on the story. I have had issues with this storyline being told in other films but in this one it actually was quite a nice ending to know that for once in this fairy tale world that these characters are in, everyone can have a good ending. I think that’s why the title of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is so prominent because it is a fairy tale, it’s not reality but it’s so nice to explore this world even for just a little while.

Manson’s inclusion was what first got me interested in this film but actually watching Rick and Cliff’s characters change throughout it was what kept me watching. If I went in only wanting to see Sharon Tate, I would have been solely disappointed because yes she’s one of the main characters, but she’s not the point of the film as a whole and actually enjoying the rest of the story lines going on was what kept me watching because they were so intriguing. So if you haven’t watched this film yet I would definitely recommend it and I definitely feel the time goes past much quicker than some other Quentin Tarantino movies that I’ve watched, and I think it’s just a really excellent story to dive into for a little while and enjoy the characters.

What do you think of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?

Until next time.

Published by shonaharding

Media graduate with a passion for reviewing film and TV. View all posts by shonaharding