Licorice Pizza: A Nostalgic Slice of Life in 1970s California
In 1973, Gary (Cooper Hoffman), a precocious 15-year-old, exudes an enviable level of confidence and entrepreneurial spirit. Not only is he a relatively successful young actor and opportunistic businessman, but he also dares to ask out a woman a decade his senior. Alana (Alana Haim), a photographer’s assistant, is charmed by Gary’s audacity and persistence. Despite accepting his invitation, she’s acutely aware that their age difference makes a romantic relationship impossible. Instead, they embark on an unusual friendship, filled with longing glances, a desire to impress, and a playful game of cat and mouse.
Alana Haim as Alana Kane in “Licorice Pizza”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inspiration and Approach
Paul Thomas Anderson, a modern director often hailed as a living classic, revealed that “Licorice Pizza” was inspired by a chance observation: a young schoolboy attempting to woo a significantly older woman. This sparked the question: what if she agreed to a date? Anderson expanded on this premise with real, albeit wild, stories from the childhood of producer Gary Goetzman, who was a successful child actor and waterbed salesman in the 1970s. The result is “Licorice Pizza,” a film that feels both surprisingly safe and unexpectedly radical within Anderson’s filmography.
If you’re familiar with Anderson’s work (and trust me, all his films are worth watching), you’ll recognize his recurring themes: the San Fernando Valley, the carefree and sun-drenched 70s, and even quirky romantic comedies (including the less obvious “Phantom Thread”). Dig a little deeper, and you’ll see that “Licorice Pizza” also fits Anderson’s pattern of flawed, self-assured men and their dysfunctional relationships with those closest to them, be it mentors, children, or romantic interests.
Cooper Hoffman as Gary Valentine in “Licorice Pizza”
What Makes “Licorice Pizza” Unique
However, what truly sets “Licorice Pizza” apart from Anderson’s previous works? Firstly, it’s his most relaxed film to date. The director’s infamous perfectionism is less apparent, and the film lacks a clear dramatic core. Secondly, it’s a rare coming-of-age story for Anderson, one where adults seem absent or behave worse than children (hilarious cameos by Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper, and Benny Safdie). Finally, Anderson, known for casting stars, puts newcomers Cooper Hoffman (son of Philip Seymour Hoffman) and musician Alana Haim in the spotlight, and they both deliver outstanding performances. Their on-screen chemistry, tactile partnership, full of subtle nuances, gestures, and glances, infuses every frame with naturalness and charming awkwardness.
Sean Penn in “Licorice Pizza”
A Coming-of-Age Story Disguised as a Rom-Com
“Licorice Pizza” is both a romantic comedy and a coming-of-age story. As Gary and Alana dismiss the possibility of a relationship, they each grapple with transitional phases in their lives. Gary is too successful and assertive for a teenager, but in the eyes of society and Alana, he’s not yet a man. Alana drifts through her twenties, but eventually realizes it’s time to move forward and leave her parents’ home. From the rhetorical question “Is it weird that I hang out with Gary’s friends?”, to which she already knows the answer, Alana takes action: first trying her hand at acting, then attempting to “change the world” by volunteering for a mayoral candidate.
If, like many Western viewers, you’re uncomfortable with the potential for a pedophilic interpretation of the characters’ relationship – although Anderson is tactful and repeatedly emphasizes that it’s taboo – “Licorice Pizza” deserves a chance for its honest portrayal of two characters who are confused but fascinated by the flawed adult world, filled with political scandals, economic crises, and arrogant idiots. Naturally, they want to be a part of it.
A Film-Vibe That Transports You
“Licorice Pizza” is deceptively simple. Behind a story lacking a central narrative, philosophical musings, and high stakes lies a remarkable achievement in screenwriting and directing by Paul Thomas Anderson. Continuing the traditions of Robert Altman and George Lucas’ “American Graffiti,” he has created a film-mood, a film-vibe, that transports the viewer to a bygone era through a collection of tiny, inconsequential, and nostalgic stories – simply about how fun and dangerous it is to be a child in love.