The film most people will probably disagree with its placement on this Tarantino ranking list, however I specifically remember going to see this film the summer before the Pandemic and that was the lowest I ever thought of this film because it was nothing like what I had anticipated or wanted as the second to last film by QT. As time passed, I gave it a few more watches and the performances are divine, the cameos are fantastic, and the final sequence from the moment Brad Pitt smokes the acid dipped cigarette to the opening of the gates of Sharon Tate’s estate is excellent. This is Tarantino’s love story to Hollywood and the era of movies he grew up in and breathes new life into this alternate world’s rendition of the how the Manson Murders wouldn’t of happened if Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth were real; they would save the beauty and innocence of Hollywood.
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Aviator, Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street) plays Rick Dalton, a fading hero actor from an old show called “Bounty Law” who now watches his career spiral downward now that he’s playing the “heavy” for another actor’s show. Al Pacino (Scarface, The Godfather — his first time working with Tarantino) gives Rick an option to play in spaghetti westerns in Italy to revitalize his career. Brad Pitt (Seven, Fight Club, Bullet Train) plays Cliff Booth (Rick’s stunt double, chauffeur, and best friend) who goes with Rick almost everywhere and does anything he needs. Cliff ends up on his own journey to be the person that directly interacts with the infamous Manson family. Rick is the neighbor of Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street, Suicide Squad, Babylon), who is married to Roman Polanski and is infamous for her fate at the hands of the Manson family while being pregnant.
In regards to the main three characters (Rick, Cliff, and Sharon) there’s three different storylines happening all at once. Rick is the most masterclass of performance as DiCaprio encompasses his character’s doubt, insecurities, confidence, bravado, and believability as a struggling actor who must come to terms with who he is and who he wants to be. The whole movie it feels that Rick is never truly happy but he is dedicated to being an actor, and that’s it. Cliff comes across a band of hippy girls led by Margaret Qualley’s (Death Note, The Leftovers) Pussycat, a member of the Manson family. He even sees Charlie Manson (played by Damon Herriman—Mindhunter, Justified) in a scene where Charlie introduces himself to Sharon Tate at home with her friend Jay Sebring, played by Emile Hirsch (Alpha Dog, Savages, Lone Survivor), who was another victim of the real life murders. The real fun part of Cliff’s journey is when he visits the Spahn Ranch and confronts the Manson family directly; this scene also might be one of Tarantino’s most intense sequences. Sharon simply spends her day embracing the beauty of the Sixties by watching herself in movies and the purity that represents Hollywood before these murders take place.
Going back to the Spahn Ranch sequence, an all-star cast emerges such as Austin Butler (Elvis) plays Tex; Dakota Fanning (Man on Fire, Uptown Girls) plays Squeaky Fromme; Bruce Dern (Nebraska, The Hateful Eight) plays George Spahn, who was originally going to be played by Burt Reynolds (The Longest Yard, Without A Paddle, Boogie Nights, Deliverance) before his death. The other notable Manson family cameos include: Lena Dunham (Girls), Mikey Madison (Scream 2022) and Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Fear Street). Filled with talent, this sequence is one of the best moments of the movie.
In regards to DiCaprio’s Rick, he’s appearing on “Lancer” as the bad guy and the audience gets to watch him stumble and transform himself into the character right before our eyes. He has a few conversations with Julia Butter’s Trudi Fraser, who is the child actor working alongside him in his scene. Timothy Olyphant (Scream 2, Justified, Santa Clarita Diet) plays James Stacy who is playing Lancer. His scenes are entertaining and happens to be one of my favorite “underrated” actors in Hollywood. Luke Perry (Beverly Hills 90210, Riverdale) emerges in his final role with a scene or two. It’s a great insight to the way shows and Hollywood works and gives you the trials and tribulations that you can’t help but find hilarious.
One of the highlights of the film is also Cliff’s fight with Bruce Lee (played by Mike Moh) where Bruce gets tossed into the stunt coordinator wife’s car. Kurt Russell (Death Proof, Escape from New York) plays Randy Miller and his wife is played by Zoe Bell (Death Proof, Django Unchained) who both reunite with Tarantino for a hilarious sequence of events. There’s a little controversy in regards to the depiction of Bruce Lee, but it’s an alternate universe, get over it. I’m a huge Bruce Lee fan and the Green Hornet scene was a memorable moment of the film and glorifies him regardless. His real life isn’t tarnished by being in a Tarantino movie.
Bringing us to a close will be the events of the ending when Rick and Cliff return home from Italy with Rick’s new wife and the narration of the events is handled by Kurt Russell. Austin Butler, Madisen Beatty, Mikey Madison, and Maya Hawke show up to kill the people at Sharon’s house. When they come up the road their muffler is so loud it irritates Rick as he’s making his margaritas and he confronts them fearlessly. This forces them to move down to the bottom of the hill and Maya Hawke ends up leaving them behind hilariously. The other three decide that they should kill Rick instead. (In the meantime, Cliff took his dog for a walk while he smokes an acid dipped cigarette). Once Cliff returns, not too long after, the Manson family members emerge to kill them but Cliff recognizes them and that throws them off. What ensues is the most brutal attempted home invasion that goes balls to the wall in violence and comedy.
After all is said and done, Jay Sebring approaches Rick at the end of the movie and invites him up to the house to meet Sharon Tate; something he’s wanted to do since the beginning of the film. As the gates open, the film leaves you with a happier feeling knowing that Sharon and her friends weren’t slaughtered and that the culprits were slaughtered instead (even set on fire with a flamethrower). The ending is my favorite part of the whole movie because its hopeful towards the beauty and the essence of Hollywood. It’s not a true story but I wish it were.
Tarantino’s second to last film brings out the best acting we’ve seen in a while, especially a meta-style comedy that keeps you interested simply because the best duo in cinema is on the screen. All the cameos and who people are playing make the film that much more immersive and fun. This film was made with love, which is why it sits above the movies on this list but there hasn’t been enough time to pass to put it above the next 5 movies on the list. Ranked No. 6 on the Tarantino film rankings this is Tarantino’s most “different” film from all of the others; probably because it seems to be his most personal.
Films Left: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds
