Der 165 Minuten lange Filme soll laut den ersten Stimmen keiner wirklichen Handlung folgen. Mehr soll es sich um eine Beobachtung handeln, die sich wenig um historische Akkurarität schert und mit Leonardo DiCaprio und Brad Pitt zwei Hauptdarsteller besitzt, die vollends überzeugen sollen. Vor allem Pitt soll hier richtig gut abliefern. Auch Margot Robbie erhielt viel Lob, während der andere Cast (siehe unten) zwar prominent ist, letztlich aber meist nur für kurze Gastauftritte in Erscheinung tritt.
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
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
I reeeeally liked ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD #Cannes2019
— Emma Stefansky (@stefabsky) 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: This is the most personal movie of Tarantino's career. You can feel the effect the Manson murders must have had on a 6 year-old QT living in 1969 L.A. #Cannes2019
— Jordan Ruimy @ Cannes (@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
Quentin Tarantino’s brilliant exploitation black-comedy Once Upon A Time In Hollywood finds a pulp-fictionally redemptive take on the Manson nightmare: shocking, gripping, dazzlingly shot in the celluloid-primary colours of sky blue and sunset gold. Review later #Cannes2019
— Peter Bradshaw (@PeterBradshaw1) 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
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 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