'Licorice Pizza' a quirky, heart-felt film

In the highly acclaimed MGM/United Artists Releasing presentation of ‘Licorice Pizza,’ Alana Kane and Gary Valentine grow up, run around and fall in love in California’s San Fernando Valley in the 1970s.

‘Licorice Pizza’ is a quirky, heartfelt feature film that is really enjoyable and is something that should be on everyone’s must watch list for the Winter Film Festival. The latest film from Paul Thomas Anderson delivers incredible performances, a good amount of 1970s nostalgia and even some great music.

Actors Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim did an outstanding job in their debut roles. Hoffman and Haim have amazing chemistry together and Alana Haim has a few moments where she can be really humorous. Perhaps down the road, Cooper Hoffman will be just as famous as his acting father - the one and only, the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman (who was a regular in many Paul Thomas Anderson films over the years). Anderson also did an amazing job directing the film (as he always does) and the 1970s feel is truly amazing. Throughout the feature, there are references of what was going on in the 70s, such as the gas shortages and when the ban on pinball games was lifted. I’ll admit I had to look up on Google about the whole pinball ban situation and I had no idea that it was a real ban. Moving on, at the showing that I attended I could tell that the crowd had a really great time watching the film.

Overall, ‘Licorice Pizza’ is a quirky film that will make you laugh and feel for the characters. Not to mention the scene-stealing small roles from Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper and a couple second cameo from John C. Reilly (who portrays Fred Gwynne/Herman Munster) in a scene. So, while the theater’s Winter Film Festival is going on, make sure to give ‘Licorice Pizza’ a look.

The cast: Cooper Hoffman as Gary; Alana Haim as Alana; John Michael Higgins (Peacock’s Saved By The Bell) as Jerry Frick; Mary Elizabeth Ellis (Disney Plus’ Godmothered) as Momma Anita; Emma Dumont (Wrong Turn) as Airplane Brenda; Skyler Gisondo (HBOs The Righteous Gemstones) as Lance Brannigan; Christine Ebersole (CBSs Bob Hearts Abishola) as Lucy Doolittle; Maya Rudolph (Luca) as Gale; Benny Safdie (Good Time) as Joel Wachs; Sean Penn (Flag Day) as Jack Holden; Tom Waits (The Dead Don’t Die) as Rex Blau and Bradley Cooper (Nightmare Alley) as Jon Peters.

‘Licorice Pizza’ is written, produced and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who has directed ‘Phantom Thread,’ ‘Inherent Vice,’ ‘The Master’ and ‘Punch Drunk Love,’ just to name a few. Anderson wrote the screenplay with Alana Haim in mind and offered her the lead role in 2019. The acclaimed filmmaker knew Haim through her band, simply called Haim (the band consists of Alana Haim and her sisters), with whom Anderson directed several of their music videos. In the film, Alana Haim’s actual family portrays her character’s family.

The main influences on this film were ‘American Graffiti’ and ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High.’ The term “Licorice Pizza” is slang for a vinyl record, particularly albums which were known as LPs for Long Play, hence Licorice Pizza. Also, the vinyl record is black, which is the color of licorice and the shape is flat and round, like a pizza.

In order to give the film a more 1970s feel, the filmmaker shot the film on 35 mm film, using older lenses to create the 70s texture. ‘Licorice Pizza’ is also MGM’s first fully produced, marketed and distributed film to be nominated for Best Picture in 33 years, after 1988s ‘Rain Main.’

The Paul Thomas Anderson film has been highly praised since its opening and has been nominated for several awards. Most recently, ‘Licorice Pizza’ was nominated for three Oscars (Best Picture; Best Director; Best Original Screenplay).

‘Licorice Pizza’ is rated R for language, sexual material and drug use and has a running time of 132 minutes.