A friend had warned me that it would probably take two separate nights to finish it. It's over 3 hours long.
Two of his friends didn't come back the second night. They got enough of the gist of it. I made it through as I generally multi-task when something's on and it's not too riveting. So about 2/3 of the way through, I was doing other stuff, then paid attention again when it was getting towards the end.
I DID like Joe Pesci. His performance was great, very solid. Out of the ordinary for Joe Pesci, whom people, me included, probably generally associate with being over the top, like his character in Lethal Weapon. I do think it was SAG & Oscar nominated worthy. However, as I thought more about it, (my friend asked why I think Brad Pitt deserves to win more,)
I realized I think Pesci deserves to be nominated for the very reason that I didn't think he had it in him to pull off such a more subtle, solid performance. But, that's really much of a compliment then.
I was more
surprised he had it in him. Makes me wonder IF he has anything
else in him? Or if he wins the SAG & Oscar, would we just see more of this performance or another round of over the top, Lethal Weapon?
Whereas, I think Brad Pitt's performance in, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, I think is stellar. After a few horrible years in his private life, being investigated by the FBI about his kids, being questioned whether he's safe enough to be a father, the turmoil the end of his marriage put him through, and his getting sober, (whom he totally attributes to Bradley Cooper for saving his life,) and losing about 110 lbs, (Angelina,) Brad Pitt has a lightness and gratitude about his work. He knows he had been given a second chance on many fronts and it shows in his work. I DO think, that if he wins the SAG & Oscar, that there is more, new stuff we will see coming from him in years to come. He had been taught by the best when he was younger, Robert Redford and Anthony Hopkins, who taught him to go deeper, and go inward, not just rely on his looks. And I think he will continue to get better. (If he stays away from the booze. He can be a second Robert Downey, Jr. comeback story.)