Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tarantino's entertaining but violent movietown epic.
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Why Age 17+?
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Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 51 parent reviews
Parents say that while the film features captivating performances, particularly from Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio, many found it slow-paced and indulgent, leading to mixed reactions regarding its long runtime and occasional gratuitous violence. The juxtaposition of nostalgia with graphic scenes, especially towards the ending, left a lasting impression, with some praising its unique take on historical events, while others criticized its execution and moral portrayal of violence, especially against women.
- slow pacing
- impressive performances
- graphic violence
- nostalgia factor
- mixed reviews
- not family-friendly
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 71 kid reviews
Kids say this movie features an impressive cast and delivers a captivating story with great performances, particularly from Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. However, many caution that it contains graphic violence towards the end, strong language, and mature themes, making it more suitable for older teens and adults rather than younger viewers.
- strong performances
- graphic violence
- mature themes
- strong language
- older teens recommended
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, it's 1969, and hard-drinking, fading cowboy/action star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) struggles with his career, trying to decide whether to continue playing bad guys in TV pilots or go to Italy to make Spaghetti Westerns. Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), Rick's longtime stuntman, is now largely unemployable and passes the time driving Rick around and taking care of Rick's home maintenance. Living next door is rising star Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who recently married director Roman Polanski and is enjoying the response to her new movie, The Wrecking Crew. Trouble arises when Cliff picks up a hitchhiker (Margaret Qualley) and takes her to the Spahn Ranch, where the soon-to-be notorious Manson Family lives. And a terrible coincidence brings the cult members back to Hollywood.
Is It Any Good?
Quentin Tarantino returns, refreshed, with this funny, beautiful period piece, wrapping his story's loopy laces around movie lore and history, and mixing life and art into a cool, wild collage. With Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino returns to Los Angeles for the first time since the Kill Bill movies, and it appears to have recharged his batteries. The film feels excited by the way cinema is imprinted in Hollywood's streets, but also the way its connected/disconnected sprawl offers any number of cool, hidden stories at any given moment. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood moves beautifully and simply, following vintage cars as they blast 1960s-era pop tunes from tinny radios.
But the roads traveled weave together in complex ways, with real history and fake history crashing up against each other, combining into what can only be cinema. As usual, Tarantino also toys with violence, both imagined and real, both direct and indirect, subverting expectations. At the center, Robbie's Sharon Tate is a little underexplored, but she at least seems sweet and smart. Rick and Cliff, meanwhile, feel like old buddies, with a comfortable shorthand and warmth between them. The combination in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is epic, exhilarating, and wildly entertaining.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's violence. How did it make you feel? What does the movie have to say about violence in general, both in movies and in real life?
How are drinking, smoking, and drug use depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why is that important?
What really happened to Sharon Tate and her friends? How does the movie change that? What is the movie saying about fact and fiction? History and movies?
How is sex portrayed? What values are imparted?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 26, 2019
- On DVD or streaming : December 10, 2019
- Cast : Leonardo DiCaprio , Brad Pitt , Margot Robbie
- Director : Quentin Tarantino
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 161 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language throughout, some strong graphic violence, drug use and sexual references
- Awards : Academy Award , BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner
- Last updated : January 31, 2026
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