Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Get Your Comic On
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    • Hot Topics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Marvel
      • Power Rangers
      • Star Trek Universe
      • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
      • Titan Comics
      • Transformers
      • Universal Pictures
    • Features

      Six Crime Films to Watch After ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE

      September 29, 2025

      Five Dark Knight Animated Projects to Watch This BATMAN DAY

      September 16, 2025

      Who Could Superman and Lex Team-up to Defeat in 2027’s MAN OF TOMORROW

      September 15, 2025

      The 10 Most Memorable Deaths In The ALIEN Series, Ranked

      August 15, 2025

      Are the FINAL DESTINATION Films All Linked to the Events of 1968?

      May 17, 2025
    • Comics

      STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS (2024-) #12 Review

      October 8, 2025

      ABSOLUTE BATMAN (2024-) #13 Review

      October 8, 2025

      IDW Shares First Look at Blockbuster TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES x GODZILLA Crossover Event

      October 7, 2025

      Comixology x Kindle Unveil New York Comic-Con 2025 Plans

      October 6, 2025

      Oni Press Brings “The Loudest Thing in Color” to the Big Apple for NYCC 2025

      October 6, 2025
    • Film

      Preorder The Ultimate DISNEY Collection Box Set Now

      October 8, 2025

      JUJUTSU KAISEN: EXECUTION Coming To Cinemas This November

      October 8, 2025

      V/H/S HALLOWEEN (2025) Review

      October 7, 2025

      Studiocanal Breathing New Life in to Two HAMMER FILMS Classics in November 2025

      October 7, 2025

      Meet the Real People Behind-the-Story of Paramount’s ROOFMAN

      October 4, 2025
    • TV

      Chris is Behind Bars as A.R.G.U.S. Explores the Multiverse in new PEACEMAKER Stills

      October 7, 2025

      AMC Shares Official Trailer for FEARFEST Featuring 2025’s “Halloqueen” and Host Janelle Monáe

      October 3, 2025

      Paramount+ Renews Mega Hit Series LIONESS for a Third Season

      October 2, 2025

      Earth-X Continues to Cause Trouble for the Gang in Latest PEACEMAKER Episode Stills

      October 1, 2025

      Shudder Releases Spectacular – and Fractious – Trailer for THE BOULET BROTHERS’ DRAGULA: TITANS Season 2

      September 30, 2025
    • Culture
      • Anime
      • Collectibles
      • Conventions
      • Gaming
    • Podcast
    • Interviews

      Anson Mount Breaks Down the STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Season 3 Finale (EXCLUSIVE)

      September 12, 2025

      Richa Moorjani Breaks Down ALIEN: EARTH Episode 5 (EXCLUSIVE)

      September 3, 2025

      PEACEMAKER Stars Jennifer Holland & Frank Grillo Discuss Working Together on Season 2 (EXCLUSIVE)

      August 25, 2025

      Sol Rodriguez & Steve Agee Talk Dance Routines and Sharing Scenes in PEACEMAKER Season 2 (EXCLUSIVE)

      August 25, 2025

      Danielle Brooks & Freddie Stroma Talk Shooting Emotional PEACEMAKER Season 2 Scenes (EXCLUSIVE)

      August 25, 2025
    • Directory
    Get Your Comic On
    Home»Film»Film Review»LICORICE PIZZA Review “Delightful & Charming”
    Film Review

    LICORICE PIZZA Review “Delightful & Charming”

    Lewis RoyleBy Lewis RoyleJanuary 3, 2022Updated:January 3, 2022No Comments4 Mins Read
    Licorice Pizza (MGM Studios)
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

    MGM Studios presents Licorice Pizza in UK cinemas now.

    Review

    Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest outing, Licorice Pizza starring songstress Alana Haim and son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cooper Hoffman is now in cinemas. Set in 1970s Los Angeles Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age story about romanticising love and growing up. It’s charming, sweet, and hilarious. 

    The first half of the film is focused on the perspective of Hoffman’s Gary Valentine, a 15-year-old actor who falls head-over-heels in love with the photographer (Haim) he meets at school, who’s 25. The first half focuses on his romanticising of his relationship with the older Alana. It feels like he has fallen in love with his baby-sitter and the romantic tones in their relationship are certainly one-sided. For the most part, it’s clear that Alana views their relationship platonically. She sees Gary as a little brother; she loves him, but not romantically. And apart from a couple of moments and the final scene, that approach really works. She clearly states boundaries and repeats them but eventually Gary’s sheer confidence and persistence draws her in. She feels unloved as her sisters and peers seemingly surpass her in life and in love and Gary finding her desirable intrigues her and propels her toward him.

    Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age film for two kinds of people; there are the young kids like Gary who look at life through rose-tinted glasses and will go along with Licorice Pizza just for the ride and there are the people like Alana. Alana is 25 and is still a high-school photographer. As a result she spends most of her time around kids and it seems to have rubbed off on her. She doesn’t have her emotional maturity all together. Alana is rudderless trying to find her way in the world and that’s something we can all relate to.

    She’s hanging out with Gary and his friends, and she ends up having a blast with them. She loves this fun and gets lost in the moment but eventually it dawns on her that she is an adult. It’s time for her to take off her rose-tinted glasses and sort her life out. And honestly, for some people in their early-mid-twenties, it’s one of the hardest hitting scenes all year. That realisation that you’re not a kid anymore hits us all eventually, and seeing that moment hit Alana so bluntly is actually quite heart-breaking.

    Cooper and Haim are spectacular in their debuts, it’s difficult to believe the two have never acted before. Their chemistry is palpable, and they craft a believable and loveable story. Seeing their friendship blossom is remarkable. They handle the dramatic scenes with grace and the comedy with style.

    Anderson’s screenplay is brilliant, endearing, and makes you completely fall in love with these characters. It’s not short on laughs either; Harriet Sanson Harris has one side-splitting scene that already will be a contender for scene of the year. Bradley Cooper’s John Peters is threateningly funny, and the two leads are fantastically riotous.

    Not all the comedy is good though; there is one joke that is repeated that doesn’t fit in the film at all. The joke feels racist and seems to poke fun at Asian people. It didn’t feel to me that the film was laughing at the racist person but was trying to get us to laugh with the racism; that’s certainly how the audience reacted in my screening. What makes this ‘joke’ even more frustrating is that it could have worked without the racist aspect of it. The rest of the humour is smarter than it; it feels beneath everything else, and it stands out like a sore thumb.

    Anderson’s direction and cinematography is typically wonderful. The extreme lighting and being able to watch it projected on 35mm film create a dreamy aesthetic and a gorgeous look that fits the rose-tinted vibe I described. The soundtrack is toe-tappingly good, and every needle-drop feels perfect. Anderson is more confident than ever behind the camera.

    Verdict

    Licorice Pizza is some of the most fun you’ll have in a cinema. Paul Thomas Anderson has made something so delightful you’ll be begging for another slice by the time the credits have rolled!

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5


    Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @GetYourComicOn, or on Instagram at GetYourComicOn. If you have a story suggestion email feedback@getyourcomicon.co.uk.

    Licorice Pizza (2021 Film) MGM
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Lewis Royle

      Related Posts

      6-Film JAMES BOND COLLECTION Starring Sean Connery is Coming to 4K Ultra HD

      May 1, 2025

      BLINK TWICE (2024) Review

      August 23, 2024

      Riverdale Star Camila Menda Cast as Teela in Amazon MGM’s MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

      August 15, 2024

      Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza Star in New Trailer for MGM’s MY OLD ASS

      July 12, 2024

      Tilda Swinton & Idris Elba Star In Official Trailer For George Miller’s THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING

      May 22, 2022

      Oscars 2022 Predictions – January 2022

      January 8, 2022
      Latest

      STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS (2024-) #12 Review

      October 8, 2025

      ABSOLUTE BATMAN (2024-) #13 Review

      October 8, 2025

      Preorder The Ultimate DISNEY Collection Box Set Now

      October 8, 2025

      JUJUTSU KAISEN: EXECUTION Coming To Cinemas This November

      October 8, 2025

      V/H/S HALLOWEEN (2025) Review

      October 7, 2025
      Latest Podcasts
      News

      Join us to Visit the Warner Bros. Prop Archive for BATMAN DAY 2025 Celebrations

      By Neil VaggSeptember 20, 2025
      News

      ALIEN: EARTH and the Return of PEACEMAKER

      By Neil VaggAugust 20, 2025
      News

      Superman ’25 & the Future of the DCU

      By Neil VaggAugust 6, 2025
      News

      The Best of 2025… So Far

      By Neil VaggJuly 23, 2025
      News

      Reviewing FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES and Apple TV+ Series MURDERBOT

      By Neil VaggMay 21, 2025
      X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube TikTok Facebook LinkedIn
      • About
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
      • Community Guidelines
      • Directory
      • Pitch to Us
      • Advertise
      GetYourComicOn.co.uk is a property of Get Your Comic On Ltd. © 2025 All Rights Reserved. Images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies/owners.

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.