'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' Praised as 'Intensely Unsettling' and 'Brilliant' at Cannes

Tarantino does it again.

once upon
Getty

Image via Getty/ Andreas Rentz

once upon

Tuesday, as expected, has been quite a day for the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood team.

#RedSteps ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD by Quentin Tarantino ✨
with Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Quentin Tarantino, Daniela Pick, David Heyman & Shannon McIntosh.#Cannes2019 #Competition #OnceUponATimeInHollywood pic.twitter.com/SUZq2NGNOr

— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 21, 2019

In addition to a new trailer and an extensive Esquire profile with director Quentin Tarantino and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, early reactions from the film's Cannes debut are now rolling in. Thankfully, it would appear viewers are honoring the wishes of Tarantino, who said in an open letter earlier this month that keeping spoilers away from future audiences was key to experiencing the film as intended. 

The film, which entered production under the secret working title (and possible omen) Magnum Opus, is being praised post-Cannes as a "love letter" to Los Angeles at large. As IndieWire notes, a bulk of the initial praise has been heaped on Pitt, who plays stuntman Cliff Booth.

The film's secrets are also referenced, thankfully without detail, suggestings we are all in for something special as fuck when Once Upon a Time in Hollywood arrives stateside in July. In the meantime, burden yourself with hype below.

To be completely honest I'm not yet sure what to make of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Need to let this one marinate, don't have an instant reaction. Most of the film is pretty good, I'm having fun watching them play around in late 60s Hollywood. Then the finale is HOLY FUCK.

— Alex B. @ #Cannes2023 🍥 (@firstshowing) May 21, 2019

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD is more languorous and luminous than anything Tarantino has done before. Radiant w/ affection for Los Angeles and the movies. Ambles and drags but pleasantly so. Pitt & DiCaprio are fabulous, Pitt especially. I could watch them drive around LA a lot.

— Jake Coyle (@jakecoyleAP) May 21, 2019

I reeeeally liked ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD #Cannes2019

— Evil Emma Stefansky (@stefabsky) May 21, 2019

#OnceUponATimeInHollywood turns out to be Tarantino's most tender film. Who'd have thunk. #cannes2019

— espressozitron (@mmiedl) May 21, 2019

Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is so gloriously, wickedly indulgent, compelling and hilarious. The film QT was born to make. The world is a more colourful place in Quentin Tarantino’s twilight zone. Round two, please. #Cannes2019

— Joe Utichi (@joeutichi) May 21, 2019

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: Tarantino wasn't joking when he said this was the closest to PULP FICTION that he has come. He juggles a mosaic of characters and story-lines in this one, eventually stringing them together for a relentlessly playful and touching finale. #Cannes2019

— Jordan Ruimy (@mrRuimy) May 21, 2019

#OnceUponATimeInHollywood: Quentin Tarantino wants to tell us a story about Hollywood life at the time of the Manson Family slayings of '69, and man, does he ever, going from awestruck to WTF. Brad Pitt the standout, his coolest role yet. #Cannes2019 pic.twitter.com/WgJywDPW9i

— Peter Howell 🖊 (@peterhowellfilm) May 21, 2019

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD - Historically dubious, thematically brilliant, QT finds his form in film that could win Palme d'Or or be picketed by audiences, or maybe both. Thrilling, provocative, blackly comical, intensely unsettling masterwork. #cannes2019

— Jason Gorber (@filmfest_ca) May 21, 2019

Latest in Pop Culture