I must say going in I was primed to like it. A coming-of-age film set in the San Fernando Valley in the ‘70s — all that was missing was me on the radio at K100 during that time (that would have made the movie great.). But Anderson really got the details right. Vin Scully, Tail o’ the Cock, KMET billboards, the gas crisis, waterbeds, vintage cars, and phones you still had to dial — they were all represented. There’s a scene at the Teenage Fair that was freaky in its authenticity (having been to many Teenage Fairs). Ironically though, we never see a Licorice Pizza record store (still not as great an omission as "Beaver Cleaver" spinning the hits on K100).
The lead actors were wonderful. Anderson cast two unknowns, which may not help the box-office but sure added to the picture. Alana Haim was fantastic — and so refreshingly REAL. Cooper Hoffman (Phillip Seymour’s son) pulled off his difficult part with elan. His dad would be proud. But stealing the movie was Bradley Cooper as producer/asshole Jon Peters and Sean Penn as an Evil Knivel-type.
The film is part AMERICAN GRAFFITI, part BOOGIE NIGHTS (without the porn or nudity -- I know -- the two best parts), and part CHARIOTS OF FIRE. If you took out the scenes of Alana and Cooper running you’d shave an hour off the running time. And shaving would have helped. It runs 2 hours and 13 minutes. Considering the story is very anecdotal and meandering, that length seems a ted indulgent. There’s not enough story or suspense or scope to warrant that long a film — and this from a guy who loved being back in that world.
Anderson presents a rather unique relationship — a 25 year-old girl and a 15 year-old boy. (Thank God Woody Allen didn’t get his hands on this material.) So it had to be treated with great sensitivity, which it was. I was relieved that the story didn’t go in the SUMMER OF ’42 direction where the older woman sleeps with the callow youth. The angst and joy and confusion of adolescence and young adulthood are more the focus, explored in small telling moments. They too felt refreshingly real.
Visually, Anderson films are always handsome. And he must’ve gotten a deal on dolly tracks because Alana and Cooper each got in their 10,000 steps.
There are some funny moments in LICORICE PIZZA — notably with Bradley Cooper and considering everything else is deadly serious, I guess you could qualify this movie as a comedy. There’s also a great soundtrack of the 70’s and some ‘60s but I wouldn’t call it a musical. I’m sure Anderson doesn’t want it labeled a musical since no one wants to go to musicals these days. (If Spielberg had a few hits from the ‘50s in WEST SIDE STORY and had Tony & Maria run from Soho to Harlem maybe more people would’ve seen it.)
Anyway, I think you’ll enjoy this movie even if you’re not from the valley. I'm hoping for a sequel set in 1977. I was on TenQ then and sounded even better.
from By Ken Levine
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