15
NOW PLAYING
WHAT’S IN THE THEATERS
AROUND EASTERN OREGON
JANUARY 5�12, 2022
‘Licorice Pizza’ is one of the year’s best movies
By Chris Hewitt
Star Tribune
P
eople fall in love all the time
at the movies, but it’s rare to
see the process of falling in love,
a phenomenon that “Licorice
Pizza” is all about.
Like most romances, things
don’t begin well in Paul Thomas
Anderson’s 1973-set comedy/
drama. Gary (Cooper Hoff man,
son of Philip Seymour) is an
absurdly confi dent high schooler
who hits on Alana (Alana Haim),
who’s assisting a guy taking
class pictures at his school.
She rejects him but he tells his
brother, “I met the girl I’m going
to marry.”
Lots of people say that in the
movies, too, but we don’t fi nd
out if marriage might happen in
“Licorice Pizza,” which doesn’t
get that far. Episodes unfold,
connected only because they
involve Gary or Alana and be-
cause they bring the two closer
to the romance that this charm-
ing, observant movie makes us
hope they’ll fi nd. Or at least the
Courtesy of Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Inc.
Newcomers Cooper Hoff man, left, and Alana Haim star in the movie “Licorice Pizza.”
possibility of romance, since
there’s an age diff erence and
who knows if they’re perfect for
each other?
Hoff man and Haim make their
movie debuts here, and it’s rare
for a major movie to rest on the
shoulders of such unfamiliar
actors. (However, Haim is well
known as a member of the band
Haim, for whom Anderson has
directed several videos; her
sisters/bandmates and parents
play her family.) But he was
smart to cast these newcomers,
as they bring no preconceived
notions, and are so likable, dis-
tinctive and intelligent.
Gary could come off as a
blowhard. But Cooper’s sunny,
dogged quality is irresistible,
similar to a puppy who persists
until even the most resolute dog
disliker pets him. He deftly han-
dles his formal dialogue, which
suggests he learned seduction
from screwball comedies. Haim
is pricklier but Alana’s insistence
that she’s on exactly the path
she’s supposed to be on makes
Your
Adventure
Awaits!
Thousands of titles
her a character to admire and
even love.
The movie title refers to
an actual ‘70s record store in
Southern California, where the
fi lm takes place, but what is
“Licorice Pizza” about? Incidents
are more important than plot.
Gary plows into unlikely busi-
ness ventures, which include try-
ing to capitalize on the waterbed
craze and doing PR for a racist
Japanese restaurant owner
(who, despite controversy that
suggests otherwise, is depicted
as unfunny and cruel).
Meanwhile, Alana becomes
active in politics and assists
Gary on such missions as deliv-
ering a waterbed to the home of
Barbra Streisand and her psycho
boyfriend Jon Peters (played by
Bradley Cooper, who’s having
way too much fun skewering a
guy he probably dealt with while
making “A Star Is Born”). There’s
also a brush with a faded actor
(Sean Penn, channeling William
Holden) that has little to do with
Gary or Alana.
Even that potentially distract-
ing scene feels like it belongs
in “Licorice Pizza.” Everything
does. We see so many movies
that seem hastily or badly put
together. So it’s an absolute
pleasure to spend time with An-
derson’s sensibility, which fi nds
shape and texture in every mo-
ment. The movie is so beautifully
made that it feels like it’s using
all of your senses at once.
Like “Boogie Nights,” another
perfect movie from Anderson,
“Licorice Pizza” shows life on
the fringes of ‘70s Hollywood.
But unlike “Boogie Nights,” it’s a
song of innocence. Energy and
youth burst from every frame,
with its characters often shown
running to their next adventure.
That’s how it ends, in fact. Alana
is running at full speed toward
the left side of the screen and
Gary is running toward the right
side. Toward each other.
Unlimited # of sessions at
’
2400 Resort Street
Baker City, OR 97814
Explore the ONLINE LIBRARY at www.bakerlib.org
541.523.6419
info@bakerlib.org
New Year... New Resolutions...
Come in and check out our health conscious deli items
214 W North St. • Enterprise, OR • 541-426-4824