Paul Thomas Anderson’s Latest Oscar-Nominated Film is a Delicious Royale-with-Cheese Delight that Demands Theatrical Viewing Celebrating The-Graduate Age-Gap Romances Between American-Beauty Couples without Notes-on-a-Scandal Stories
by Hassan Ilahi
American-Beauty couples’ segregated with The-Graduate ages-gaps are infrequently published Pulp-Fiction. If Quentin-ssential mobsters reciting Bible rescuing restaurants from Honey Bunny burglars asked Paul Thomas Anderson’s Pulp-Fiction blunders, inability rescuing a-Mia-ble women turned Royale-with-Cheese disasters. Anderson learned age-gaps affairs common tradition where Graduates followed Mrs. Robinson’s Sound-of-Silence seductions. Born Once-Upon-a-Time-in-Hollywood, Anderson’s commonly declined imagining ill-f-Tate-d women shoes seldom rescued Di-Caprious actor sporting hair-do’s. As John-Hughes high-schooler, Anderson all-too-often Bender-ed rule pursuing Princesses Breakfast-Club detentions. Providing justifications, Anderson idolized generation banker buying Julia-ries Gere-d toward Pretty-Women prostitution. However, artist’s preverted underage teens American-Beauty attraction damaged Spacey reputation. While Edwardian vampire afford dating underaged Swansong teens, alarm Bella rings modern eras. Hollywood’s seldom La-La-Land where issue solved wasting Lovely-Night boogieing cars traffic-jams Another-Day-of-Sun City-of-Stars. Emulating Mur-astray movie-stars Lost-in-Translation, career Scarlett-ed depressions. Like singers Shallow covers inferior Gaga-worthy lovers, director endures disaster. “It’s-Not-Your-Fault”; artists avoiding Good-Will-Hunting sessions. How did Rolling-Stone transverse Penny-Lane attain Almost-Famous recognition?
Now, Anderson returns baring soul recounting Kramer-v-Kramer endured teenagers experiencing Punch-Drunk-Love romance La-La-Land opportunities Once-Upon-a-Time-in-Hollywood in Oscar-nominated Licorice Pizza. Old-fashioned, nostalgic and sweeping, it demonstrates Almost-Famous filmmakers revisiting memory Penny-Lane. With coming-of-age drama, Anderson chronicles Gos-appealing nostalgia age-gap relationships avoided Stone-cold pedophilia stigma. Boasting Tarantino-esque production-design, Graduate storytelling and Gaga-worthy performances, it’s poignant period-piece. Although Licorice Pizza’s delicious, it isn’t restaurant-quality. Its racist humor’s Lost-in-Translation, building sentimental ending. Nonetheless, it provides old-fashioned entertainment.
Amidst 1970’s San Fernando, Licorice Pizza follows teenagers whose Gos-appealing dream collide Stone-cold realities living La-La-Land opportunities. Alana Haim plays Alana, soul-searching teenager opposing underage boys relationships. However, Alana’s point-of-views transforms following encountering child-artist Gary (Cooper Hoffman). Bonding common Hollywood affection, Alana and lover transform business-partners. As Alana’s relationship cultivates fear, career endures despair.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s commonly drunk milkshakes couples’ Boogie-Nights love-affairs destined There-Will-be-Blood despairs foreshadowed Hard-Eight dice pairs. Following 1997’s Boogie Nights achievements, Anderson’s transformed marvelous filmmaker. His award-winning Boogie Nights provided provocative glimpse Diggler actors’ endeavor dating older beauties 1970’s pornography industry. With Licorice Pizza, however, Anderson constructs adolescence age-gap romance. It’s Anderson’s first undertakings symbolizing adolescents’ age-disparities romance-affairs amidst 1970’s, but accomplishes seamlessly. Using captivating cinematography, Anderson demonstrates star-crossed adolescent journey money-making 1970’s L.A. Emulating Damien Chazelle’s La La Land, Anderson capitalizes lens-flare foreshadowing disastrous love-affairs among Hollywood actors. Like blinding light hinting Mia and Sebastian’s short-lived Lovely-Night City-of-Stars, Alana’s rocky relationships captured lens-flares. Alongside cinematographer Michael Bauman, Anderson demonstrates age-disparities’ repercussions through lighting techniques. Anderson manufactures Master-ful cinematic viewing.
If adolescents love-affair apart years don’t magnetize attention, however, there’s innumerable reasons seeing Licorice Pizza. If Anderson’s Inherent Vice attracted not-so-nice criticisms recreating L.A. small-size drug-infused production, Anderson avoids mistakes twice. Accompanied production Florencia Martin, Anderson successfully employs locations celebrating history. For instance, realistic locales effectively employed Tarantino-esque styles trucks sequence. During unforgettable sequence, Alana and Gary evacuate alcholic-consuming movie-star following mansion-destruction. One acknowledges world-famous locations transporting audiences Once-Upon-a-Time-in-Hollywood Manson adolescents accomplish pushing movie-stars Cliff without being murdered psychopath-killers reminding Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Memorializing Cliff Booth’s pre-Manson-Murders L.A. car-rides, Alana’s truck-rides signal city’s beauty. Moreover, Jonny Greenwood’s score’s dazzling. Evoking John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club, rock tune honor Don’t-You-(Forget-About-Me) era. Using Tarantino-esque production-design, Anderson pens hometown love-letter.
Another appetite-attracting Licorice Pizza ingredient’s screenplays. Anderson’s screenwriting strength’s manufacturing believable age-gaps love-affairs through tragicomedy. In Hollywood, age-gap romances movies commonly driven humor and infrequently commemorate hard-hitting consequences. While Edwardian vampires romancing teenagers Y.A. genre acceptable (Twilight franchise), pedophilia allegation incriminate seniors sexual predator. Case-in-point, Sam Mendes’ Oscar-winning American Beauty damaged Spacey actors’ Burnham-out reputation without repercussions experiencing adolescent American Beauty affections. Fortunately, however, that unquestionably isn’t Licorice Pizza’s complications. Anderson sensibly avoids judging age-gap romances without addressing consequences. Emulating Mike Nichols’ The Graduate, Anderson successfully capitalizes tragicomedy addressing age-disparities romantic-affairs advantages and downsides. Recalling Ben’s Scarborough-Fair Mrs. Robinson affairs throwing career Sound-of-Silence despair, Alana’s relationship demonstrate happiness and pulling-out-hair sadness. Sometimes, relationship’s hilarious especially during sequences Gary asks Alana showcase breasts. However, simultaneously, romance-affair becomes dead-serious after interferes Alana’s career. If Anderson’s Phantom Thread turned women chess infrequently dressed impress designer poison mushroom stress, Licorice Pizza avoid mess. Using spectacular script, Anderson trace age-only-number love-affairs.
One acknowledges powerful performances.
Alana Haim delivers star-making performance Alana. In breakthrough character, Haim illustrates Gaga-worthy movie-star skilled embodying actress rising fame as boyfriends experience shames. It’s intimidating personifying adolescent divided between careers and romantic-affairs. However, Haim achieves magnificently. Emulating Lady Gaga in Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born, Haim creates star whose dive deep ends from Shallow waters toward Evergreen fame builds barriers old flames. With mesmerizing expressions, she conveys angst, jealousy and regrets of adolescent exercising self-discovery. Following Poker-Face’s footsteps, Haim treat singer-to-actor leap deftly. It’s stellar performance proving Haim’s destined Gaga-worthy success.
Cooper Hoffman’s captivating as child-journalist whose Penny-Lane rockstars affair downgrades Almost-Famous careers Stillwater despair. Emulating Patrick Fugit in Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, Hoffman builds fascinating adolescent whose woman infatuation puts Almost-Famous reputations publishing Rolling-Stone termination. Playing Gary, Hoffman conveys underage teenager’s dilemma courting women body-language without pedophilia. Whether suspiciously eyeing Alana’s mayor flirting or blushingly asking her out, Hoffman conveys lovely gestures. It’s marvelous acting making father proud.
Concluding standout’s Bradley Cooper. Emulating School of Rock’s Jack Black, he captures gut-busting comical relief movie.
Conclusively, everyone’ll appreciate Licorice Pizza notwithstanding whether willing disclose personalized informations psychiatrists Good-Will-Hunting therapy sessons. Celebrating Gus Van Sant’s Good Will Hunting, movie’s therapeutic theme resonate everyone. Recalling Will’s “it’s-not-your-fault” psychiatrist conversation regarding Affleck-ted emotions, Anderson discusses adolescence, pedophilia and discrimination. Therefore, Licorice Pizza’s tasty dish wet everyone’s appetite.
Despite powerful performances, however, Licorice Pizza serves appetizer pizzas not as delicious as Lost-in-Translation romance-affair among Graduate student and Pretty-Women beauties published Pulp-Fiction stories. Anderson’s decision display Asian-American xenophobias through comedy’s clever and unpredictable, but unsuccessful. Discrimination jokes aren’t Lost-in-Translation romantic-affairs manufactured cosmopolitan Asia over Americana (ex. Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation). While Dead-Niggers-Storage racism comedy caused laughter 1990’s eras (ex. Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction), comedy’s outdated modern era. Moreover, Anderson blunders ending. It’s fantastical conclusion sugarcoating fears endured age-disparity couples affairs. Whereas endings enhanced Gary Marshall’s Pretty Woman Gere-d older audiences, clashes modern age-gap. Worst, implies couple pursue affairs regardless age fear. Hence, Licorice Pizza falters.
Nevertheless, fans of coming-of-age drama will enjoy Licorice Pizza as will moviegoers seeking nostalgic entertainment. A delicious Royale-with-Cheese pizza, it suggests Quentin-ssential couples deserve falling in love without pedophilia stigma. If Fools-who-Dream singing-and-dancing traffic-jam melody Another-Day-of-Sun whose Gos-appealing Lovely-Night clash Stone-cold reality asked Audition age-gap opinions La-La-Land opportunity, they’d recommend industry allow The-Graduate skipping “It’s-Not-Your-Fault” therapy Good-Will-Hunting psychologist demonstrate 500-Days-of-Summer Pretty-Women affairs despite Pulp-Fiction publishing Notes-on-a-Scandal demonstrating Dazed-and-Confused girl exhibiting American-Beauty don’t deserve harassed Spacey celebrity experienced Irreversible rape allegation 12-Angry-Men jury encourage Kramer-v.-Kramer separations kidnapped Quentin-ssential mobsters memorizing Ezeikel-25:17 Bible passages rescuing restaurants from Bonnie-&-Clyde partners-in-crime condemned Plainview entrepreneur suggesting There-Will-be-Blood tragedies whereby f-Allen filmmaker escape Crimes-and-Misdemeanors charge Hangover honeymoon Midnight-in-Paris countries ordering Unfaithful extramarital infidelity regarded Terms-of-Endearment tradition over Risky Business activity infrequently apprehend L.A.-Confidential FBI policemen discourage travel Back-to-the-Future thwart Sharon-Tate assassination Once-Upon-a-Time-in-Hollywood following hearing musician Shallow melody whose downward trajectory fascinate teenagers Grant-ed access Notting-Hill celebrities’ Julia-ries as commemorated as Spoonful-of-sugar coffee manufactured practically-perfect Mary-Poppins nannies.
Hassan’s Grade: A-
