ONCE Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film, is an ode to his idyllic vision of the town’s past. Taking us by the hand, Tarantino excitedly shows off every little detail he so very loves. Through the eyes of Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), and Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), we watch an actor and his stunt double (both fictional) come to terms with the twilight of their careers, all while a bubbly young actress is on the rise. In 1969 the Manson Family wickedly interrupted this passing of the torch, thus bringing the harsh realities of the outside world into Tinseltown’s starry-eyed bubble. Anyone who tries to tell you this latest outing deviates from Tarantino’s recent revenge tale trend simply does not understand his passion for the period he never got to experience.

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Unlike his most recent and commercially successful films, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood meanders through the majority of its run time. Tarantino leisurely delves into his characters’ lives, mostly disregarding the expectation for any sort of exhilarating or captivating moments. Instead, the first two and a half hours (of a two hour and 45 minute total) are some of the most content film watching I’ve experienced in years. I never found myself on the edge of my seat (save for a scene or two with the Manson Family), but I delighted in watching the pure ambition in every frame. Tarantino made several entirely original movies and television shows to sprinkle in throughout the feature. I thoroughly enjoyed the slice of life style glimpse into 60’s Hollywood.

Within that glimpse everything you have come to expect from Quentin Tarantino shines. Dialogue, while not as snappy, remains captivating. Flawless cinematography and soundtrack selections make every scene a genuine pleasure. DiCaprio and Pitt deliver brilliant performances, and Robbie perfectly encapsulates the idea and spirit of Hollywood. Trudi, played by 12 year old Julia Butters, steals the spotlight. Her scene with DiCaprio may come and go quickly, but she makes quite the impression. As far as child actors go, Butters easily stands out.

With all of this said, the first chunk of the film could not stand on its own. The spectacular ending brings all three major threads of the movie together. Here, Tarantino puts his passion for “what could have been” on display. You acutely feel his frustration over the Manson Family’s grotesque violence cutting Hollywood’s naive and optimistic chapter short. Tarantino shows no mercy.

Whether or not you enjoy this ninth outing largely depends on if the conclusion works for you. It expertly tied together all of the thematic and narrative elements for me, and made the previous two and a half hours extremely worth it. However, some will inevitably lean towards wanting to trim the fat off of earlier scenes. While that may make for a more concise film, it would ruin the setup for an ingenious finale. What makes Once Upon a Time in Hollywood work is the love letter Tarantino writes, all of his ramblings included.