Licorice Pizza (2021)
“Fuck off, teenagers!” – Alana.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Written by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Bradley Cooper, Sean Penn
There’s something special about a writer or director who can make dialogue seem natural, seem ‘real’. You know…with natural pauses and people saying the wrong thing; with people not being as polished as they usually seem in movies. Well, Paul Thomas Anderson has seemingly perfected that in Licorice Pizza, largely thanks to the incredible performances of Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman.
The film follows Gary Valentine (Hoffman) and Alana Kane (Haim) as they navigate a budding romance and the realities of ‘growing up’ in the San Fernando Valley in 1973.
As far as plots go, this one is pretty simple – it's all about Gary and Alana, as they negotiate the highs and lows of a first true love, and the evolution of that love from platonic to romantic. However, as with anything Paul Thomas Anderson, this isn’t your grandma’s coming-of-age story – the plot can be erratic, Gary is a 15-year-old entrepreneur, and Alana is actually 25 – it’s unapologetically different. But it works - all thanks to the unbelievable chemistry of Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman.
It is outrageous to think that this is the debut feature film performance for both actors, because they absolutely knock it out of the park. Perhaps this untapped talent contributes to the believability of their interactions, as PTA crafts some of the best dialogue I’ve seen in a while. The use of silence, and subtle nuances in both of their (naturally expressionable) faces, had me fully engaged in their conversations, and consequently invested in their relationship by the end. Alana Haim is somehow able to be funny, endearing, scary, and sad all at the same time, and I hope that translates into more roles for her.
It's also worth pointing out that these are both quite flawed characters, and that means that you might NOT want them to get together at the end. Which deviates from the traditional ‘coming-of-age’ romance in a way I appreciated.
It’s also pretty hard to talk about this film without mentioning the similarities to Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. The narrative is completely different, but they both use a fantastic soundtrack to take you back to the 70s, and also feature a LOT of scenes in cars, as the youngsters drive around town. But hey, I love Dazed and Confused, so big tick from me.
In summary, if you’re looking for a coming-of-age movie with a bit of a kick, this will fit the bill. And unlike a lot of other PTA films it’s quite an easy watch – so you’ve got no excuses. Highly recommend.
Rating: 8/10