Ladies and gentleman, he's done it again.
Tarantino's ninth feature is an amalgamation of silver age cinema history (generously reimagined) and Tarantino's over the top unrestrained style. The narrative, if you could even call it one is second to the individual scene throughout, something the film manages to get away with consistently because of how excellent the production is. There are so many great scenes that call back classic cinema and are just executed so adeptly that any movie fan won't be able to help themselves.
Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth is phenomenal, and Leo as Rick Dalton is as effortlessly engaging as he ever was. One thing I wasn't expecting going in is just how much time is given to Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) the choice initially confused until the excellent payoff towards the end of the film.
The lack of narrative does not prevent the film from having things to say however, Tarantino, a well-known cinema nerd by any metric, offers much more than a simple nostalgic look back at the advent of New Hollywood, he offers some surprising insights and invites some unexpected comparisons, particularly in the third act.
I did have a few issues with the film, I think the way Tarantino transitions from the 2nd to 3rd act feels rushed and altogether lazy, it's not something he hasn't done before but it just messes with the flow of the film overall in my opinion. The film also comes in at close to three hours in length and those that are looking for something more conventional will likely be put off by the pacing of such a gargantuan runtime. I personally didn't find the length to be an issue though.
Overall the film is easily the best thing out in theaters right now, like, it's not even close. I had a ton of fun with it, there's plenty of violence and other Tarantino antics to be had, but this is certainly less accessible than something like Inglorious Basterds or Django Unchained. Leave your expectations at the door and I suspect you'll have a good time.
9/10 Quentessential Viewing