Tarantino's Tinseltown crippled by his quirks

The laudable performances in Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood are let down by its writer-director's odd hatreds, fetishes and casual racism

(From far left) Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Pacino in Quentin Tarantino’s film, Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood.
(From far left) Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Pacino in Quentin Tarantino’s film, Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood. PHOTO: SONY PICTURES RELEASING SINGAPORE
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This slow stroll down film-maker Quentin Tarantino's memory lanes reveals a man who deeply misses Hollywood - and a world - the way it used to be. Or rather, the way he thinks it used to be.

Watching him show you the things he loves is a joy. But when he shows you what he hates, it all goes sour. It is like being trapped in a taxi with a driver who is not the sweet man you thought he was at the start of the conversation.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 17, 2019, with the headline Tarantino's Tinseltown crippled by his quirks. Subscribe