An alarm is already raised in us when a great filmmaker warns that his next film is going to look at (his) childhood or past times that, coincidentally, they lived through. It has already become quite common after the ‘Roma’ phenomenon, but From resorting to that look at the past so much, it will end up becoming a cliché. with more easy nostalgia than anything else.
And no, really the past times were not better. Some of these filmmakers seem to have it clear, but they can’t avoid falling into sweetness. But there is always room for surprise and chiaroscuro, even in films apparently celebrating the golden years, such as ‘Once upon a time in… Hollywood’ or the more recent and more complex ‘Licorice Pizza’, one of the best movies of this year.
Run for your life
Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, now available to stream through Amazon Prime Video, also offers a nostalgic journey through 1970s California. Not in Hollywood, but nearby, in the San Fernando Valley where he grew up. He pours into her some of the things that happened during his childhood that he came to know about, but not exactly with Quentin Tarantino’s celebratory intent, although he articulates it throughout. a fresh and youthful romantic relationship.
The story follows Alana (Alana Haim), a young woman without much purpose in life who goes trying to survive in Los Angeles during 1973. One day he meets the even younger Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman), a child actor who is beginning to be too old for these roles and the industry begins to close doors on him, so he decides to embark on different business ventures.
Despite some reluctance, especially on her part (there is a noticeable age difference, after all), their paths end up crossing emotionally and also at work. Gary tries to help Alana establish herself in the industry as an actress and also includes her in her emerging water bed business. There will also be potholes and separation, as in any great romance worth its salt, but there are also many interactions that will inevitably lead them into each other’s arms.
‘Licorice Pizza’: the bitterness of adulthood
Anderson uncharacteristically develops this coming-of-age story that both characters follow, intertwining with their complicated but intense romance. Along the way (especially hers) are distinguished personalities brought to life by well-known actors such as Sean Penn, Benny Safdie or Bradley Cooper as the unpredictable and explosive Jon Peters (although it is a pity that he makes no mention of giant mechanical spiders ), that they show the bitter side of adulthood.
Both protagonists try to move towards said adulthood because it is the path they have to take, but Anderson does not skimp when it comes to showing all the bumps in the road and questions not only that it is the best path to take but also shows the darkest aspects of the time. That continuous double edge that characterizes the director’s works is very present in ‘Licorice Pizza’, and avoids falling into nostalgia for the pleasure of falling into it.
All this shown in a somewhat peterpanesque story told in an exquisite way (from production values or the use of music to how the way the characters move changes, changing running through the streets for the car that marks maturity). Even without giant mechanical spiders, this is a wonderful movie with an extraordinary ending.
In Espinof | The best romantic movies of all time