First Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Reactions Praise Tarantino’s 9th Feature

After asking audiences to remain silent on any potential spoilers, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has premiered at Cannes and the early reactions are calling it one of the most passionate projects from the legendary director and his most tender film yet.

RELATED: The New Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Trailer is Here!

#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: 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 @ Cannes (@mrRuimy) 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 – at #Cannes2019 (@filmfest_ca) May 21, 2019

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 Billington @ Cannes (@firstshowing) May 21, 2019

I laughed. I gasped. I wondered: What would Roman Polanski think? I begrudgingly agreed not to tweet out spoilers. Tarantino delivers an ode to Hollywood’s lost innocence, while cheekily suggesting it never had any to begin with. #OnceUponATimeinHollywood #Cannes2019 pic.twitter.com/DBgriD2Ihb

— Chris Knight (@ChrisKnightfilm) 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 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

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

— Magdalena Miedl reicht’s. (@mmiedl) May 21, 2019

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Tarantino lays a gaudy, explosive counter-culture circus. DiCaprio & (especially) Pitt terrific value under the lights, while evil scurries in the shadows. Some, um, third-act issues but the film’s highs are electric #Cannes2019

— Xan Brooks (@XanBrooks) May 21, 2019

The massive ensemble cast for the film includes Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed), Brad Pitt (Fight Club), Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad), Timothy Olyphant (Santa Clarita Diet), Michael Madsen (Sin City), Tim Roth (Selma), Damian Lewis (Billions), Luke Perry (The Fifth Element), Emile Hirsch (Speed Racer), Lena Dunham (Girls), Dakota Fanning (The Alienist), Margaret Qualley (The Nice Guys), Maya Hawke (Stranger Things), Clifton Collins (Pacific Rim), Keith Jefferson (The Hateful Eight), Nicholas Hammond (The Sound of Music), James Marsden (Westworld), Julia Butters (Transparent), James Remar (48 Hours), Scoot McNairy (Halt and Catch Fire), Kurt Russell (Furious 7), Bruce Dern (Nebraska) and Al Pacino (Scarface).

Veteran actor Burt Reynolds (Smokey and the Bandit) was originally supposed to play the role of George Spahn. However last September, Reynolds passed away  before he could film his part for the movie. His longtime friend and fellow veteran actor Bruce Dern (The Hateful Eight) signed on to take over his role.

RELATED: Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Set Photos with Pitt, DiCaprio, and Pacino

Set in Los Angeles in the summer of 1969, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood focuses on a male TV actor named Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) who’s had one hit western series and is looking for a way to get into the film business. His sidekick Cliff Booth (Pitt) — who’s also his stunt double — is looking for the same thing. The horrific murder of Sharon Tate (Rick’s neighbor in the film, portrayed by Robbie) and four of her friends by Charles Manson’s cult of followers serves as a backdrop to the main story. The movie is said to be similar to a “Pulp Fiction-like tapestry” that covers a group of characters during that summer.

Sony Pictures will release the film on August 9, and it is set to make its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this week.