Summer Resonates
Licorice Pizza, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is a film that delves into every facet of a perplexing romantic narrative structure. It portrays the teenage experience encompassing stupidity, awkwardness, uncertainty, self-confidence, ambition, and romanticism. The film’s overall impact resonates beyond its individual segments, weaving together twists and turns that captivate the audience.
The film exudes a nostalgic aura, accompanied by yet another outstanding score from Jonny Greenwood, although it refrains from being overly indicative of a specific era. Conversely, Anderson has created films that either sound or look like they belong to the 1970s. It’s not merely about capturing the setting; it’s about depicting life during that period. In simple terms, it encapsulates a moment that unfolds over two and a half hours in all directions, immersing the audience in a world where anything can happen.
Despite Anderson’s complete mastery of the medium, the film never comes across as pretentious or ostentatious, maintaining a near-acrobatic balance. Unlike There Will Be Blood or The Master, it operates as a double-edged narrative, with the first half delivering a bewildering summer jam experience. It then evolves with the punk boom, taking on a more conceptual tone that explores themes of responsibility, societal integration, the desire to grow up, and, once again, romanticism.
Gary Valentine and Alana
Licorice Pizza is an adult story infused with the director’s own experiences and intricate romanticism. Despite featuring a dramatic arc, the film takes a detour through the San Fernando Valley, which happens to be Anderson’s hometown.
The story revolves around Gary Valentine, portrayed by Cooper Hoffman, the son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. Gary is a child actor inspired by one of Anderson’s friends, making his feature film debut alongside Alana Haim. Alana, known as a member of the band Haim along with her sisters Danielle and Este, not only plays Alana’s character but also her sisters and parents.
As most are aware, Philip Seymour Hoffman appeared in almost every one of Anderson’s films, including Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, and The Master. Beneath the surface, a touch of serendipity and magic shapes how Anderson encounters the individuals involved and brings each actor to the big screen.
Everyone has a favorite moment, even if it may seem inconsequential. Ideas emerge in their raw form, yet they serve as individual building blocks in capturing the stubbornly joyful moments of youth. The film also narrates the story of two people whose lives intersect in increasingly intriguing ways.
Gary is 15 years old and getting ready for his high school portrait, while Alana mentions being 25 but never confirms her age. Judging by her interactions with her family, it appears she is in her late teens.
The Chemistry
Hoffman and Haim share remarkable chemistry and both exude star quality on screen. Naturally, their performances revolve around the delicate romance at the core of the film. However, their characters spend most of the film out of sync.
Gary first noticed Alana while he was working for a photographer at the school. He couldn’t help but be struck by Gary’s remarkable self-confidence. As he spoke about the different projects he was juggling while his parents worked, it became clear he had an impressive list of acting credits and a name known in the entertainment industry. What’s more, he’s only 15 years old, in stark contrast to Alana’s claim of being 25 or older. This revelation caught Alana off guard when Gary suddenly disclosed his true age.
Despite the initial missteps, Licorice Pizza is, in essence, a complex exploration of romance involving two individuals who never seem to be in love at the same time. This dynamic arrogance becomes a catalyst for comedy, either pushing the characters apart or preventing them from reaching a climax. Gary frequently makes comparisons from a screenwriting perspective, summing it up nicely. Ironically, he identifies himself as a showman, artist, and singer.
Maps of the Romance
Paul Thomas Anderson takes the audience through such chapters. He executed it with a light touch. Apart from the critical segment, the focus remains on Gary and Alana. When Alana feels unsure about her friendship with Gary, she flirts with a girl his age. She is embarrassed by jealous reactions, especially if he agrees or goes on a date to take her clothes off for an acting role. However, Gary becomes overprotective, giving birth to a basic immaturity working between them. Gary’s teenage boy sensibilities keep reminding Alana of her age.
Despite their inquisitive maturity in matters of self and business, drifting Alana does not have all of her qualities. Her status as a woman in such a situation puts her in a difficult situation. If only Penn and Cooper would quickly exploit her, Gary felt genuine affection for Alana. He tried to contain his worst impulses as a boy aroused by her. Gary’s long-shot running or Alana catching them will end together when they head in different directions. In the end, they become messy and romantic as their courtship will be very long.
Licorice Pizza maps out fun. Platonic interactions between characters across various get-rich-quick schemes, oil embargoes, dangerous brushes with Hollywood, and clashes with the police fulfilled the film. A much scarier showdown with the most prominent film, drink dinner producer, an agent, and pinball the world has ever seen.
Once Upon a Time In San Fernando Valley
The audience’s morale, to be precise, will be attuned to the film’s opening moments. Watching a fast-paced narrative centered on the evolving relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a 25-year-old woman is undeniably thrilling. However, it’s equally important for the audience to sense the reciprocated love between the protagonist and the exceptional main heroine.
When Gary and Alana finally embrace, it foreshadows the years of illicit relationships that lie ahead before Gary matures. Much has been explored by Anderson and other directors regarding age differences in storytelling. Like many screenwriters, Anderson doesn’t come across as the type of filmmaker who moralizes about the realities of 1970s America. He strives to avoid judging his characters from a contemporary standpoint. For him, representation doesn’t equate to an endorsement of a particular worldview. While the film portrays contemporary behavioral dynamics, it also harkens back to a time when significant age gaps in relationships weren’t as conspicuous.
Cinematic directors often discuss the process of accepting a character within a specific setting. In the grand scheme, the film is no different from others. One noteworthy aspect that should be acknowledged is its similarity to Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. Both films play a distinctive role in portraying a vibrant yet romanticized city. When viewers reflect on Anderson’s body of work, including Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Inherent Vice, they become part of his expansive world-building efforts.
The Craftmanship
Alongside Michael Bauman, Anderson crafted a film that evoked a sense of nostalgia among the audience, reminiscent of a bygone era. In a manner that few other directors seldom embrace, he and his cinematographer opted for shooting on 35mm film, a rarity in modern Hollywood. The resulting yellowish imagery bathed in the glow of floodlights outside the building, allowing Gary to illuminate the dust in the afternoon.
While the director had ventured into this period before with Boogie Nights, his portrayal of the adult film industry there took on an ironic but profoundly poignant revival of human melancholy set in the same era. Licorice Pizza continues Anderson’s legacy with stunning work that immerses the audience in the realm of perplexing romanticism, all under the guidance of a filmmaker who has matured since the days of the Dirk Diggler empire.
Amidst all his deceit, Gary exudes a contagious energy. He serves as a foil, highlighting what makes Alana so unique and full of potential. However, what truly stands out is Gary’s ability to inspire change in Alana when she feels lost. In essence, he embodies the kind of cliché or classic movie character that can easily make audiences fall in love with the film.
Gary’s unexpected arrest, as the police mistakenly identify him as a teenage killer, unfolds just as unconventionally as his personal journey, ultimately leading to a lighthearted escape that brings love and joy. Through Anderson’s craftsmanship, the film’s emotional impact becomes one of the most tender and heartwarming experiences.
Bibliography
- Bose, S. D. (2022). The Quentin Tarantino film that Paul Thomas Anderson called “beautiful”. Far Out Magazine.
- Mattes, A. (2022). Comedies in serious clothing: an introduction to the films of Paul Thomas Anderson. The Conversation.
- Rossio, J. (2013). God Only Knows: Family in the films of Paul Thomas Anderson.
