Licorice Pizza
Overview
Licorice Pizza is a 2021 coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, set in the San Fernando Valley in 1973. The film stars Alana Haim as Alana Kane, a 25-year-old woman who is working as a photographer's assistant, and Cooper Hoffman as Gary Valentine, a 15-year-old actor and entrepreneur. They form an unlikely friendship and partnership, and they navigate the ups and downs of adolescence and young adulthood. The film is a warm, funny, and nostalgic look at a specific time and place. It was a critical success, praised for its performances, its direction, and its authentic 1970s vibe. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film is a love letter to the San Fernando Valley and to the awkward, beautiful, and confusing time of being young.
