Skip to content
MovieCove
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood

Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood

In this town, it can all change… Like that.

2019161 minRMidcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Director
Quentin Tarantino
Starring
Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch

Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton, a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth, his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate, who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski…

Where to watch

Where can I watch Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood streaming on Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood?

Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood earns 13 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% in Comedy.

Show 5 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood worth watching?

Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood's Midcredits score is the 93rd percentile of all films, from 4.3M ratings across 6 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

93rd percentile

Better received than 93% of films

96th percentile among Comedy94th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)91st

76 /100

92nd percentile of all films

96th percentile among Comedy92nd percentile among 2010s

Critics 84 · Audience 75

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

81% liked it

91st percentile of all films

94th percentile among Comedy92nd percentile among 2010s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Critics 86% · Audience 70%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 37 wins / 60 noms overall

  • WonGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
  • WonGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

86th percentile

4.3M ratings across platforms

85th percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$90M
Opening weekend$41M
Domestic gross$143M
Worldwide gross$394M

Returned 4.4× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a slow-paced, character-driven hangout movie that lovingly recreates the look and feel of late-1960s Hollywood rather than delivering a tight, plot-driven narrative.

Fans praised

  • DiCaprio and Pitt deliver career-best, magnetic performances with effortless chemistry
  • Exquisite period recreation of 1969 Los Angeles: cars, clothes, neon signs, music
  • Rewarding, cathartic final act that subverts expectations with classic Tarantino flair

Detractors panned

  • Nearly three hours of aimless meandering with no discernible plot or narrative drive
  • Self-indulgent nostalgia trip that prioritizes Tarantino's film-geek references over story
  • Boring, overlong, and padded with endless scenes of driving and trivial daily routines

What stands out

Acting90

DiCaprio and Pitt give career-high performances; ensemble uniformly strong

Cinematography88

Beautifully shot with fluid tracking shots and vivid period palette

AtmosphereDivisive85

Immersive, transportive recreation of 1969 Hollywood and Spahn Ranch menace

EndingDivisive78

Wildly satisfying, cathartic climax that redeems slow setup for fans

DialogueDivisive78

Sharp, naturalistic, quotable in places; some found less witty than earlier Tarantino

CharactersDivisive65

Rick has depth and arc; Cliff is cool but static; Tate is underutilized

Plot and storyDivisive30

No traditional plot, meandering vignettes until explosive final act

PacingDivisive25

Leisurely and languid first two hours; many scenes feel padded or unnecessary

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 20 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 10 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something light and easy.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Moods
ContemplativeJoyfulBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its nostalgic love for 1969 Hollywood straight, with warmth and a wry sense of humour.
The rideThe film ambles for most of its runtime in a warm, contemplative register before the violent climax and the cathartic, wish-fulfillment coda in the final stretch.
StructureThe story unfolds in loosely connected vignettes following Rick and Cliff's daily lives, with a conventional three-act arc beneath the surface.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a bittersweet nostalgia for a lost era, capped by a cathartic rewrite of history.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThe film is a character-driven slice of 1969 Hollywood life, not structured by a classic plot archetype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% (this title) · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsFriendship · 9% of filmsFame · 3% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeRick Dalton's crisis of self-worth as a faded star anchors the film, while his friendship with Cliff Booth provides the real currency of value, and the machinery of fame (and its cruelty) saturates every scene.
StanceTarantino lovingly interrogates Hollywood's machinery of relevance and the fragility of self-worth built on fame, without celebrating or wholly mourning it.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanSuburbanRuralDomesticInstitutionalStylized realism
PopJazzFolkOrchestral classicalForeground music · licensed compilation
SettingHollywood and its fringes in the twilight of the 1960s
MusicPeriod radio hits and deep cuts (Los Bravos, Paul Revere & the Raiders) are woven into the fabric of every scene, functioning as a second soundtrack of memory.

Content guide

Is Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood okay for kids?

R

Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood is rated R: “Rated R for language throughout, some strong graphic violence, drug use, and sexual references” (MPAA). As of October 20, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (87/100), sexual content at mild (32/100), language at severe (87/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (70/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 83% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 38 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina16
  • BelgiumKT/EA
  • BGD
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hong KongIIB
  • Hungary18
  • IndiaA
  • Israel16
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-16
  • MexicoB-15
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland15
  • PortugalM/16
  • RO18
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporeM18
  • SK15
  • South Africa18
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan輔12級
  • TH18
  • Türkiye18+
  • UA16+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 89% of all filmsHeavier than 83% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 79%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 27%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 86%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 88%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 54%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: violence, language, drug and alcohol content, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood have?

MovieCove's classifier found 3 depicted content warnings in Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood: Sexual harassment or grooming (mild), War atrocities (mild), plus 1 withheld here because it would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MildSexual harassment or groomingWar atrocities

Cast and crew

Who is in Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood?

Cast

6 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; Brad Pitt won the Oscar for this film.

Leonardo DiCaprio
as Rick Dalton
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Brad Pitt
as Cliff Booth
Oscar win: Academy Award — Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Margot Robbie
as Sharon Tate
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Supporting ActressTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Emile Hirsch
as Jay Sebring
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Margaret Qualley
as Pussycat
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Timothy Olyphant
as James Stacy
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Julia Butters
as Trudi Fraser
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Austin Butler
as Tex Watson
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Dakota Fanning
as Squeaky Fromme
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Bruce Dern
as George Spahn
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood?

Movies like Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood include Blonde (2022), Driving Miss Daisy (1989) and Nickel Boys (2024). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in the 1960s, and most are period dramas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: Los Angeles. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood?

742 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: hangout movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.