"Licorice Pizza": Movie Review
Written By Alex Greenbaum
"Hard Eight" in 1996 was the birth of one of the great directors of this generation. Director/writer Paul Thomas Anderson has paved the way forward with some instant classic films like "Boogie Nights", "There Will Be Blood" and more. He's an auteur and a master of his craft, yet even the greatest of filmmakers have their bumps in the road. His newest film "Licorice Pizza" is trapped in Anderson's own nostalgic influence. It follows two young adult teens who slowly fall in love with each other during the 1970's. Sounds like it should be a resounding success from Anderson who is no stranger to that 70's style filmmaking, but winds up being a disappointment even though there are some entertaining sequences.
From the likes of Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper, Tom Waits and Benny Safdie, there are some great cameos. Anderson has never been shy on utilizing the most star power possible and that's no different here. Pop rock singer Alana Haim impresses in her first acting role but it's Cooper Hoffman (Phillip Seymour Hoffman's son) who remains the scene stealer. He fits perfectly into Anderson's tonally whacky script and does it with ease. However, it's the world around all these characters that falls apart gradually as the film continues to meander through its bizarre story threads.
Waiting for that big reveal or payoff is a mistake. Anderson is more interested in retelling his upbringing/fantasies than molding a flowing script. Following these characters can be a fun diversion for an evening but that's not what I want from such a legendary director. It's quite clear that this was Anderson's most personal film to date but audiences will be oftentimes left in the dark.
That grainy cinematography along with fun performances can't outweigh its pretentious posturing. Many critics have criticized the apparent age gap that exists between the two main characters, but my problem lies much deeper than that. The film is a flawed attempt at recreating the blossoming of two young individuals looking to find their path into the world. While fascinating at times, this is Paul Thomas Anderson's first cinematic failure.
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