Licorice Pizza (2021) review by Hannah Pooley
Set in sun drenched early 1970's California, Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age comedy/drama directed by beloved auteur Paul Thomas Anderson. Gary (Cooper Hoffman) and Alana (Alana Haim) have a wonderful meet cute where their chemistry bubbles right away. The problem? Gary is 15 years old and Alana is 25, which even in the 70’s is considered off. Alana is at his school to help take the class photographs, and on their first meeting Gary throws in all matters of charm and flattery on her. Alana is firstly baffled by his bravado and tells him outright that he is far too young for her. But despite herself, she winds up going to meet him for dinner. Whereas Alana seems stuck her in suburban life and craving direction, Gary is already an actor and helps with his mum’s business, working his way around California with a jarringly confident manner. What follows is a will-they, won’t-they friendship with Gary and Alana most definitely flirting with anyone else except each other. Gary even st...