Paul Thomas Anderson returns to Los Angeles for his latest feature “Licorice Pizza.” The comedy/drama brings the stories of Producer Gary Goetzman to the screen, told through Cooper Hoffman’s (son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) acting debut. The “There Will Be Blood” director returns to the period piece formula; “Licorice Pizza” marks the director’s sixth consecutive period film, following on from the 2017 Oscar-winner “Phantom Thread.”
Paul Thomas Anderson and a Triumphant Period Piece
Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) is a 15-year-old high school student and young actor who resides on the outskirts of Hollywood. When school picture day rolls around, Valentine meets Alana Kane, (played by Alana Haim from the Grammy-nominated band HAIM). Alana is a 25-year-old, mousey, brown-haired photographer’s assistant who walks down the line of students offering a comb and mirror. She then comes across Gary, and they strike up a conversation. The red-faced teen then decides to invite Alana to dinner, and this is where their story begins. The two soon grow closer as Paul Thomas Anderson’s screenplay unfolds. The film follows Alana and Gary as they go from water-bed vendors to mayoral campaign volunteers and pinball entrepreneurs, all set against the backdrop of the 1970s San Fernando Valley.
Acclaimed Director Paul Thomas Anderson works with “The Tragedy of Macbeth” Gaffer Michael Bauman to provide “Licorice Pizza” with lush visuals that capture the Los Angeles retro façades. The warm-toned cinematography, vintage sets, and ’70s costume design immerse the viewer into the saturated world of Anderson’s film. Haim and Hoffman unlock their acting capacity, with each giving a marvelous performance as they bring these characters to life. During the film it becomes evident to where the film’s working title came from; during Gary’s short turn as a water-bed salesman, the business is actually called Soggy Bottom Beds.
A Terrific Supporting Cast; Hoffman and Haim Delight
Anderson deals with something that almost every 20-something has faced at one point or another — the question of what you’re going to do with your life. “Licorice Pizza” mixes the 1973 oil crisis into its lively narrative, a dilemma that ultimately ends in the demise of Soggy Bottom Beds. It ties the zany escapades Gary and Alana go on into a light-hearted feature that allows its leads to shine.
Cooper Hoffman in “Licorice Pizza.” (Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon.)
“Licorice Pizza’s” supporting cast includes Bradley Cooper, Sean Penn, Benny Safdie, and Alana’s bandmates/sisters Este and Danielle Haim. However, Cooper’s role was first set to be played by six-time Oscar nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (also set to star in Guillermo Del Toro’ “Nightmare Alley,” but was replaced by Cooper also), but DiCaprio dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. DiCaprio’s father George makes a cameo in the film as the water-bed seller Gary. What makes the film more enjoyable is that Anderson keeps the focus on Haim and Hoffman; he doesn’t draw viewers away from the pair unnecessarily, or without reason.
A Film that Leaves a Smile on Your Face
“Licorice Pizza” mixes influences from Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” and ‘American Graffiti’ to create a polished film that leaves you with a smile on your face, and a desire for Alana Haim to take on more acting roles. The well-written script, combined with stellar debut performances and attractive cinematography manages to create a whole new world to explore as you follow Alana and Gary through the streets of Los Angeles. Paul Thomas Anderson’s first feature film since “Phantom Thread” is an exhilarating affair; it manages to come out as arguably one of 2021’s best films.
“Licorice Pizza” is currently available to watch only in theaters.
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