Licorice Pizza: A Meaty “Yay” For The Latest From PTA
Licorice Pizza (2022)
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman and Mary Elizabeth Ellis
I have gone on ad nauseam about the three consecutive characters A, 2 and 4. For me, this combination of a letter and two numbers means an automatic theatre ticket purchase – no research needed and no questions asked. Another three characters that elicit the same response are P, T and A. A24 Films gives us multiple films a year, but Paul Thomas Anderson usually gives us only one chance every four or more years.
Four years after his last film, Phantom Thread (2017), comes a completely different tale told in a completely different way by Mr. PTA (which, for those who don’t know, stands for Paul Thomas Anderson … not those boring school board meetings). This ability to reinvent himself while retaining the same level of impeccable craftsmanship is what makes Anderson the modern auteur of auteurs, and this reinvention from the stoic historical drama of Phantom Thread to the effervescent, coming of age drama Licorice Pizza may be his best yet. Much like the differences between Punch Drunk Love (2002) and There Will Be Blood (2007), trusting the auteur in the first act of a newer film is important. If I were to lament the previous film’s set design, mood and drama I would sabotage my chance to enjoy a new masterpiece that’s nothing like the last. So letting go of errant thoughts like “Hey, this isn’t My PTA!” is key to “Optimum Immersion” when it comes to his work.
It also helped that I didn’t know the backgrounds of the lead actors in this energetic coming of age tale set in 1973 San Fernando Valley. To afford you the same chance at “Optimum Immersion,” I will leave the lead’s pedigrees out of this review, but I should note that each is performing in their first film. Alana Haim is twenty something “working woman” Alana and Cooper Hoffman is “still-in-high-school-working man” Gary. They are probably the best side by side debut performances in film history. (Maybe, just maybe, this is a recency bias, but I would appreciate any and all other examples sent to @timbasaraba on Twitter so I can be more informed of any alternatives to my assertion).
The rapport and chemistry between Haim and Hoffman is uncanny, but the amazing performances don’t stop there. Interesting characters from 1970’s LA pepper the film with unforgettable hubris and hilarity. These are acted with abandon by Bradley Cooper, Sean Penn, Tom Waits and Benny Safdie. Obviously, PTA loves having a little help from his friends, and you may even catch a cameo from his pal John C. Reilly. But don’t blink or you’ll miss it. It was also nice to see some screen time for Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Gary’s mother. She embodies what seems to be the 1970’s single mom in California with two boys perfectly. Much different than her recurring role as “The Waitress” in It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (TV Series).
The set designs and locations are, as always with PTA films, excellent, but this time around the comedy is what is paramount to the entertainment. Coming of age has never been so tensely funny, and not in a “lets all point and laugh at the dumb kid” trope that many coming of age films focus on. Instead, Licorice Pizza gives us a feeling of warmth with each little victory that Gary and Alana achieve, even if they aren’t sure exactly where they are going. That, in the end, is what they will be remember with fondness as the memories of their small failures fade away. And going on this journey with them is an absolute joy for the viewer.
Like most of PTA’s films, Licorice Pizza is an A.