Films

Licorice Pizza

Contributed

10 Mar 2022 — 1 min read

By Jack Weir

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest masterpiece is a nostalgic love letter to seventies Hollywood, which is explored through the tumultuous relationship between aspiring young actors Gary Valentine and Alana Kane. First time actors Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman deliver energetic performances with sincere humanity, the dynamic between them making this a life affirming cinematic beauty deserving of its Best Picture nomination. 

Seeing the Licorice Pizza premiere on film did justice to its gorgeous visuals: its warm colour palette, sweeping long shots and intimate closeups gave it a distinct cinematic flavour, portraying the seventies as the creative renaissance it was in transitioning from the golden age of Hollywood into a more diverse cinematic landscape. Licorice Pizza audio visually embraces this era with its soundtrack featuring classics from David Bowie and The Doors alongside many other hits contemporary to this lively period. Our protagonists collide with many infamous personalities of seventies Hollywood, with intense cameos from Bradley Cooper as manic director Jon Peters and Sean Penn as aging movie star William Holden. These standout performances bring drama to an otherwise low-key narrative, and are made especially interesting given that these interactions are based on stories from the real Gary Valentine and Alana Kane. 

Licorice Pizza’s unusual title is inspired by Paul Thomas Anderson’s favourite record shop growing up, named after the way its owners described a record: a pizza made of licorice. That fact alone conveys the palpable passion behind this film, making it one of my favourite films of last year that everyone should seek out.

Jack Weir studies Film at  Edinburgh Napier University.

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