Not Enough Manson

If you've seen the trailer, you might have expected Manson would pop up somewhere. Unfortunately,.he is in only one scene of the movie (when he goes to the Tate-Polanski house looking for Terry Melcher). The only other time Manson's presence is felt is early on in the film when some of the Manson girls are singing his song "Never Say Never to Always". (Who from Manson's estate gets the royalties for its usage in a major motion picture?) Manson's conspicuous absence from Brad Pitt's lengthy visit to Spahn Ranch seemed to be setting the film up for his "reveal" later in the story but that never ultimately happens. Not one of the "Manson Family" members are nearly as sweet but creepy as Nancy Wolfe's chilling portrayal of Sexy Sadie in the '76 "Helter Skelter". And although it was nice seeing Maya Hawke again after her splash on season 3 of Stranger Things, she hardly makes a convincing Linda Kasabian with her two or three lines of dialogue.