‘Licorice Pizza’ Leaves A Bad Taste
This is hands down my least favorite film by Paul Thomas Anderson. It feels like he had a concept in mind but struggled to execute it, blending a period piece with a coming-of-age story in a way that ultimately misses the mark. It’s as if he decided to mimic Richard Linklater’s style, but the result is a disjointed attempt at capturing the magic of “Dazed and Confused.”
While Anderson often presents characters in a way that challenges us, here I found little to redeem them. It’s tough to stay engaged with a story when the main characters are unlikable, and unfortunately, the side characters weren’t much better. Even though the exploration of Hollywood’s bizarre environment for child stars in the ‘70s holds some potential, it gets bogged down by the monotony of the main characters exploits, which, frankly, are pretty boring.
The dynamic between the main characters isn’t just inappropriate, it’s also rather tedious. It’s a will they, won’t they that I don’t care about, at all. The cameos feel more like name drops than meaningful additions, they lack the depth that would have made those moments impactful.
PTA was at his best when he was hungry and breaking new ground, not here, where it feels like he’s settled into a safer groove. This film stands in stark contrast to the brilliance of “There Will Be Blood.” I really hope he bounces back with future projects because this one simply didn’t resonate with me.
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