It’s been a few years since we’ve had a film offering from Paul Thomas Anderson, but now he’s back with LICORICE PIZZA, his ninth movie and one that revolves around a high school student who is also a part-time actor in the 1970s. Shades of BOOGIE NIGHTS here, but this almost feels like a spiritual cousin to DAZED AND CONFUSED or FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH more than anything else. One of the big selling points could be the lead role played by Cooper Hoffman, son of the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman, the latter of which was a frequent collaborator with Anderson.
The year is 1973. Gary (Hoffman) is a teenager living in San Fernando Valley with a background in acting, still trying to get roles and deal with those awkward high school years. He meets Alana (Haim), a slightly older girl assisting with yearbook photos. Gary has a strange maturity and confidence about him, while Alana seems to lack direction and guidance. He is immediately taken with her, and she seems oddly fascinated with his enthusiasm. As Gary takes on new business ventures, Alana tries to help him, but they can’t seem to make sense of their relationship, and at one point Gary starts looking toward other girls his own age for romance. This leads to ongoing personal conflicts, but it just seems like destiny wants to somehow keep these two together.
LICORICE PIZZA, like many of Anderson’s films, doesn’t seem to have a specific narrative through line, but is rather a character study that allows the audience to observe these young personalities at a specific point in their lives. It’s made incredibly engaging by the strong leading performances of Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim, both terrific here. Hoffman has an instant charm that is magnetic, like the coolest kid in the neighborhood that everyone just loves. He looks and feels real, very much like someone you know, and has an incredible smile that makes him a sincere and personable lead. Alana Haim brilliantly plays “Alana” as a troubled young woman who desperately needs some sort of stability in her life, but just can’t seem to find what she’s looking for. At first, it seems impossible that these two would get together, or even belong together, but we reach a point where you can’t help but feel they’re somehow perfect for each other… even if odds are it won’t last.
The supporting cast is filled with fun and colorful characters. Bradley Cooper has a somewhat extended cameo as movie producer Jon Peters, who at the time was involved with Barbra Streisand. His personification of Peters is very much that of an unhinged man constantly drugged up and either flirty or angry with his behavior… it’s a strong and amusing addition to the cast, but only offers a passing chuckle or two, to the point of where I actually wish there was more of him in it. Sean Penn shows up as an older famous actor Alana escorts to a local bar, where he’s recognized by an older eccentric producer played by the great Tom Waits, and what results is a crazy and memorable sequence that almost feels like something from another film. Benny Safdie plays a local man running for office who has some secrets, and you’ll also see brief cameos by John C. Reilly and Maya Rudolph. But make no mistake, this is Cooper and Alana’s movie, and they dominate the bulk of the screen time.
I rather enjoyed LICORICE PIZZA, as it reminded me of the awkward days of high school relationships and moments where you’re trying to figure out who you’re meant to be, even when you still very much have your whole life ahead of you. It may not end up being one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s more memorable films, but it’s a fun period piece that gets a lot more right than it does wrong. It’s also one of the few recent films I’ve seen where the lengthy run time (two hours and 13 minutes) didn’t really bother me, to the point of where I gladly could have watched even more of the two leads as they figure out their complicated relationship. It’s also a great recreation of 1970s California culture, and makes strong use of nostalgia in a natural way. Complimented by a fantastic soundtrack filled with sounds of that era, LICORICE PIZZA is definitely worth a watch and a solid cinematic entry for this year’s final days.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
