In the brilliantly twisted “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Quentin Tarantino decides to rewrite history in a way only he can—by turning a potentially grim scene into a chaotic ballet of flamethrowers and dog food cans. As the Manson Family creeps into the Hollywood Hills, planning to stir up some terror, they mistakenly stumble into the house of washed-up actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double, Cliff Booth, who’s high on an acid-laced cigarette.
What follows is a riotously violent showdown that feels like the punchline to a very dark joke. Cliff, in a drug-fueled haze, greets the intruders with a mix of bewilderment and casual savagery, aided by his well-trained canine, who proves that dog really is man’s best friend—especially when that man needs help chewing up psychotic hippies. Meanwhile, Rick, blissfully unaware in his pool listening to music, eventually makes his grand entrance with a flamethrower (his trusty prop from an earlier film), cooking up more than just poolside hot dogs.
