Licorice Pizza

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For the Los Angeles record store chain that inspired the title, see Licorice Pizza (store).

Licorice Pizza
LicoricePizzaPoster.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPaul Thomas Anderson
Written byPaul Thomas Anderson
Produced by
  • Sara Murphy
  • Adam Somner
  • Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring
Cinematography
  • Michael Bauman
  • Paul Thomas Anderson
Edited byAndy Jurgensen
Music byJonny Greenwood
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • United Artists Releasing (United States)
  • Universal Pictures (international)
Release date
  • November 26, 2021 (2021-11-26) (United States)
Running time
134 minutes[2]
Countries
  • United States
  • Canada
LanguageEnglish
Budget$40 million[3]
Box office$27.8 million[4][5]

Licorice Pizza is a 2021 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It stars Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in their film debuts, alongside an ensemble supporting cast including Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, and Benny Safdie.

Licorice Pizza was released in the United States in select theaters on November 26, 2021, and had wider release on December 25, 2021.[6] The film received acclaim from critics and received three nominations at the 94th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. It also received three awards from the National Board of Review, including Best Film, was named one of the best films of 2021 by the American Film Institute, and received four nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, along with eight nominations at the 27th Critics' Choice Awards, including Best Picture, where it won Best Comedy. It also received five nominations at the 75th British Academy Film Awards, where it won Best Original Screenplay. It is also MGM's first fully produced, marketed and distributed film to be nominated for Best Picture in 33 years, after 1988's Rain Man.[7]

Plot[]

In 1973 San Fernando Valley, 15-year-old child actor Gary Valentine prepares for his high school picture day. He notices 25-year-old Alana Kane, a photographer's assistant, and strikes up a flirtatious conversation with her. She rebuffs his advances, but meets him for dinner and they begin a friendship. Gary attends auditions and prepares for a press tour attached to a film starring Lucy Doolittle. When Gary's mother Anita cannot take him to perform on the tour in New York, Alana chaperones him instead. On the plane, Alana meets Lance, one of Gary's co-stars; they begin dating, but break up after an awkward dinner with Alana's family.

Gary starts a successful waterbed company with Alana as an employee and assistant. While selling beds at an expo, he is falsely arrested on suspicion of murder and quickly released. When Alana decides she wants to try acting, Gary's agent gets her an audition for a film starring Jack Holden. After her audition, Alana accompanies Holden to a restaurant, which Gary and his friends are also patronizing. Film director Rex Blau convinces Holden, a motorcycle enthusiast, to recreate a stunt on a local golf course involving a jump over a fiery ramp. An inebriated Holden brings Alana along, but she topples off the bike. Gary runs to her to make sure that she is unhurt while Holden successfully performs the stunt.

A gas crisis sweeps the country and the waterbed company fails. Gary, Alana, and Gary's friends make one final delivery to Jon Peters' house. Peters leaves to see a film, but not before threatening to murder Gary's brother if the group damages his house. After setting up the bed, Gary floods the house before leaving with Alana. They are waved down by an agitated Peters, whose car has run out of gas. They drive him to a gas station, where he threatens a customer. Alana and Gary leave him behind, and Gary stops to attack Peters' car, but they soon run out of gas as well. Alana maneuvers the truck backwards down a hill to a gas station.

Seeking a direction in life outside of her friendship with Gary, Alana begins to work on the mayoral campaign of city councilman Joel Wachs. Gary briefly joins her, but after overhearing that pinball will soon be legalized in the Valley, decides to open an arcade. Gary and Alana argue; Gary mocks Alana's over-commitment to her work while Alana criticizes Gary's immaturity. As Gary prepares to open his arcade, Wachs invites Alana for a drink. She arrives at a restaurant and learns Wachs is gay. Wachs asks Alana to pretend to be his partner Matthew's girlfriend and take him home, which hurts Matthew's feelings. Alana apologizes to Matthew and they share kind words at his house. Alana goes to Gary's arcade to see him, but he has left to look for her at Wachs' office. They reunite and head for the arcade, where they kiss and run out into the night. Alana tells Gary that she loves him.

Cast[]

Haim's sisters Danielle and Este, father Moti, and mother Donna also appear as Alana Kane's family.[11] The children of Anderson and Rudolph, as well as the relatives and children of other filmmakers and cast members, also appear.[12] Appearing as Gary's friends are Griff Giacchino as Mark, James Kelley as Tim, and Will Angarola as Kirk. John C. Reilly has an uncredited cameo Fred Gwynne, an actor who portrayed Herman Munster, while Dan Chariton cameos as Sam Harpoon, a director.

Production[]

Development[]

Around 2001, Anderson was walking by a middle school in Los Angeles on picture day. He observed one of the students nagging the female photographer and had an idea of the student having an adult relationship with the photographer. The screenplay of Licorice Pizza evolved from this experience and additional stories told to Anderson by his friend Gary Goetzman, who was a child actor who had starred in the film Yours, Mine and Ours with Lucille Ball, appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, and eventually started a waterbed company and pinball arcade. Goetzman at one time delivered a waterbed to Jon Peters's home.[13][14] Anderson considered Fast Times at Ridgemont High and American Graffiti as major influences in the making of Licorice Pizza.[8]

Anderson received permission from Jon Peters to develop a character based on him, on the sole condition that Peters's favorite pick-up line is used. Anderson went on to create a "monster version" of Peters based on 1970s Hollywood producers who had "a reputation for a lot of bravado and aggro energy."[8]

In September 2021, the film was officially titled Licorice Pizza,[15] named after a former chain of record shops in southern California.[16] Anderson explained, "If there's two words that make me kind of have a Pavlovian response and memory of being a child and running around, it's 'licorice' and 'pizza' [...] It instantly takes me back to that time." He added that the words "seemed like a catch-all for the feeling of the film [...] that go well together and maybe capture a mood."[8][14]

Casting[]

Anderson wrote the screenplay with Alana Haim in mind and offered her the lead role in summer 2019.[17] He has a close connection to her band Haim, having directed several of their music videos, and is a close friend of the Haim family.[18] Haim's sisters Este and Danielle and parents Mordechai and Donna were also cast to play the roles of her family.[19] Cooper Hoffman, the son of Philip Seymour Hoffman, was cast late in the process after Anderson found the auditioning young actors too "precocious" and "trained" to match the naturalistic style of Haim's acting.[18] Licorice Pizza marks the feature film debut of both Haim and Hoffman.[19][20] Described as a "family-and-friends project" by the Los Angeles Times, the film also features Anderson's longtime partner Maya Rudolph, their four children, and many of their neighborhood friends in various roles.[14]

Filming[]

Principal photography began in Encino, California, in August 2020,[21] under the working title Soggy Bottom.[22] In November 2020, it was reported that principal photography had wrapped and post-production had begun.[23] A Tudor manor previously owned by actor Lyle Waggoner was used for scenes at Jon Peters's house.[24] Tail o' the Cock, a famed local restaurant that was demolished in 1987, was recreated for the film at the Van Nuys Golf Course.[14][25] Haim spent a week learning to drive trucks, and performed her own stunt in which she backed a truck down a long hill.[17]

Anderson and Michael Bauman (sharing a director of photography credit) shot Licorice Pizza on 35 mm film, using older lenses in order to create the film's 1970s texture.[26]

Music[]

Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood composed the film's score cues. The first trailer for the film, which was released online on September 27, 2021, was set to David Bowie's "Life on Mars?".[27]

The official soundtrack will be released by Republic Records. Included are some of the songs featured in the film, as well as one of the original tracks composed by Greenwood.[28]

Licorice Pizza Soundtrack
No.TitleWriter(s)Artist(s)Length
1."July Tree"Irma Jurist, Eve MerriamNina Simone2:44
2."Stumblin' In"Mike Chapman, Nicky ChinnChris Norman & Suzi Quatro3:58
3."Sometimes I'm Happy"Vincent Youmans, Irving CaesarJohnny Guarnieri4:05
4."Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"Harold Arlen, Johnny MercerBing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters featuring Vic Schoen & his orchestra2:42
5."Blue Sands"Buddy ColletteChico Hamilton Quintet featuring Buddy Collette6:36
6."But You're Mine"Sonny BonoSonny & Cher3:04
7."My Ding-a-Ling live at The Fillmore (1967)"Dave BartholomewChuck Berry featuring Steve Miller Band4:38
8."Peace Frog"Robby Krieger, Jim MorrisonThe Doors2:52
9."Let Me Roll It"Paul McCartney, Linda McCartneyPaul McCartney and Wings4:51
10."Life On Mars?"David BowieDavid Bowie3:52
11."Slip Away"William Armstrong, Marcus Daniel, Wilbur TerrellClarence Carter2:34
12."Diamond Girl"Jim Seals, Dash CroftsSeals and Crofts4:13
13."Greensleeves" Mason Williams2:45
14."Barabajagal"DonovanDonovan with The Jeff Beck Group, Lesley Duncan, Suzi Quatro and Madeline Bell3:20
15."Softly Whispering I Love You"Roger Greenaway, Roger CookThe Congregation3:02
16."Licorice Pizza"Jonny GreenwoodJonny Greenwood3:07
17."If You Could Read My Mind"Gordon LightfootGordon Lightfoot3:51
18."Walk Away"Joe WalshJames Gang3:35
19."Lisa, Listen To Me"David Clayton-Thomas, Dick HalliganBlood, Sweat & Tears2:58
20."Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day"Taj MahalTaj Mahal4:14
Total length:1:04:01

Release[]

On December 18, 2019, Focus Features came on to produce and distribute the film.[29] On July 17, 2020, it was reported that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired North American distribution rights to the film from Focus, and that MGM would set a new start date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[30]

The film was released in select theaters in the United States on November 26, 2021, by United Artists Releasing, and was followed by a nationwide release on December 25, 2021. It was released in the United Kingdom on January 14, 2022.[6][31]

Reception[]

Box office[]

As of March 15, 2022, Licorice Pizza has grossed $16.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $11.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $27.8 million.[4][5]

Licorice Pizza opened in four theaters on November 26, 2021, including the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. It made $142,000 on its first day, $105,000 on its second, and $89,000 on its third for a $335,000 opening weekend and an average of $83,800 per screen. Audiences were reported to be 72% between the ages of 18 and 34, 66% male, and 70% Caucasian, 19% Latino and Hispanic, 8% Asian, and 3% Black. Close to 70% of all moviegoers were also college graduates.[32][33] In its fifth weekend, the film expanded its release to 786 theaters and entered the box office top ten for the first time with $1.9 million, finishing eighth. During the weekend, 66% of audience members were between the ages of 18 and 34.[34][35] The film went on to earn $1.3 million in its sixth weekend,[36] $981,886 in its seventh,[37] $879,511 in its eighth,[38] $659,953 in its ninth,[39] $630,117 in its tenth,[40] and $644,699 in its eleventh.[41] The film received an expansion in theaters after earning three Academy Award nominations. It made $959,788 in its twelfth weekend, finishing eighth,[42] before dropping out of the box office top ten in its thirteenth weekend with $647,973.[43]

Critical response[]

Licorice Pizza received widespread acclaim. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 91% of 254 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's consensus reads, "Licorice Pizza finds Paul Thomas Anderson shifting into a surprisingly comfortable gear – and getting potentially star-making performances out of his fresh-faced leads."[44] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 90 out of 100 based on 55 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[45] Audiences polled by PostTrak gave the film an 87% positive score, with 73% saying they would definitely recommend it.[46]

The film generated some controversy around the ten-year age gap between the main characters (and the fact that the male protagonist is a 15-year old minor)[47] as well as for its inclusion of two scenes in which the character Jerry uses a demeaning mock Asian accent when speaking to his Japanese wives.[48] Regarding the latter, director Anderson defended the scenes as being contemporaneous and accurate portrayals of the movie's time period.[49] The group Media Action Network for Asian Americans, however, called for an awards boycott for the movie due to the decision to include these two scenes without any pushback from the characters.[48]

Accolades[]

Main article: List of accolades received by Licorice Pizza

References[]

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  2. ^ Ruimy, Jordan (October 29, 2021). "Confirmed: 'Licorice Pizza' Runtime is 133 Minutes". World of Reel. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  3. ^ Lang, Brent (October 30, 2020). "Breaking Down MGM's Costly 'No Time to Die' Dilemma date". Variety. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
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  5. ^ a b "Licorice Pizza (2021)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Bubp, Ashley (April 20, 2021). "Paul Thomas Anderson's Latest Film Announces Holiday Release Date". Collider. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
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  35. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 26, 2021). "Spider-Man: No Way Home Third-Best Christmas Ever With $31.7M US; Domestic At $467M+ & $1.05B WW – Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
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  42. ^ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 6". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  43. ^ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 7". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
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  46. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 27, 2021). "The Sobering Reality Of Thanksgiving Box Office During Pandemic With 'Encanto' Sans 'Top Gun 2'; Adults Return For 'House Of Gucci', 'Licorice Pizza'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 25, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  47. ^ Baron, Reuben (December 28, 2021). "Licorice Pizza's Problematic Ending Ruins the Movie". CBR. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  48. ^ a b Wong, Wilson (December 29, 2021), "Asian activist group calls for awards boycott of 'Licorice Pizza' for fake Asian accent", NBC News
  49. ^ Sun, Rebecca (December 31, 2021), "Analysis: A Close Reading of 'Licorice Pizza's' Japanese Wife Scenes", The Hollywood Reporter

External links[]

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