Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019) ***1/2

You have to know just a little bit of history to get this movie. The story is built around the Manson Family murders, in which members of Charles Manson's cult committed a series of home invasion murders in the summer of 1969. They killed the actress Sharon Tate, who was pregnant, along with several other people.

But Quentin Tarantino's latest isn't about those events; they simply serve to anchor the story in time and space. The main story revolves around a fictional pair of friends, fading actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). No longer the leading man, Rick is now relegated to villain roles on TV shows. With Rick working less, Cliff doesn't get much work anymore, so he mostly scrapes by as Rick's driver/personal assistant. We find Rick in the midst of something of an existential crisis, trying to come to terms with his aging career, and considering an offer to make spaghetti-westerns in Italy. Cliff seems to be more philosophical about his place in life. He understands that he has a pretty easy job, basically getting paid to hang out with his best friend. Still, there's an edge to Cliff that sometimes suggests he might like to be doing more.

Running his errands around Hollywood, Cliff meets a sexy hippy-chick named Pussycat (Margaret Qualley). She introduces him to her “family,” a bunch of hippies, mostly young women, who live on an old ranch and answer to a guy named Charlie. Did I mention that Rick lives next door to the house that Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and Roman Polanski are renting? Clearly, all these characters' fates will become intertwined.

Since you know the history of the Manson Family, you probably think you know how “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood” ends, but you don't, and that's all I'll say about that. Just watch it! It's a crackin' good movie, with interesting characters and dialogue, as you'd expect from Tarantino. DiCaprio and Pitt are at the top of their game. I also really appreciated the treatment of Sharon Tate. I always just knew of her as the most famous victim of the Manson murders. Margot Robbie's performance really brings her to life.

I suppose I've given up on Quentin Tarantino making another film on the level of “Reservoir Dogs” or “Pulp Fiction.” The new normal for Tarantino is this sort of capably-told, long-running, violent tale that is absolutely enjoyable, but also a bit forgettable. I can't imagine people forcing their friends to watch “Inglorious Basterds,” “The Hateful Eight,” or “Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood” the way we did with Tarantino’s earliest films. The man was a god in the 1990's. I watched his films over and over, savoring every detail. Now, once is enough.

So, if this movie slips by you, no big deal, it's not going to change your life. Watch it, though, if you get the chance. It's not one of the best of all time, but it's probably one of the best movies of the year. The ending is bound to be controversial, but remember that any story that starts out “Once Upon a Time” is bound to be a fairy tale.

3.5 stars out of 5