Licorce Pizza: what do they mean by that title anyway?

Licorce Pizza is one of those films for which you have such great expectations but then are let down in a massive “HUH?” The film, released late last year, garnered terrific - and I mean terrific – reviews. Chris Knight’s review in National Post gave it five out of five stars, calling it a “glorious trip” back to 1973. Adam Graham in the Detroit News’ headline was a “tale of young love delivers.” What, in fact, is Licorce Pizza, such a strange title, in the first place? It was a Los Angeles record store back in the day. LA is where the film is set. Folks, I have seen many a nostalgic return-to-the Seventies movie and this has to be the blandest and pointless yet. And while there are a few laughs and good performances here, they still come within a viewer’s mindset of “where is this going?” or “get on with it.” Why filmmakers like Paul Thomas Anderson feel the need to return to their teenage roots is another thing. This movie pales, by comparison, to films like Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Amy Heckerling, 1982), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (John Hughes 1986) or Election (Alexander Payne 1999). Hell, there are loads of genre films that are better. Yes, it’s a coming-of-age tale and, yes, the acting and character connections between Gary (Cooper Hoffman) and Alana (Alana Haim) are decent enough. And there are some riveting if hilarious performances by Sean Penn (Jack Holden) and especially Bradley Cooper as movie producer Jon Peters. But the film is really a slog through two hours and 13 minutes. And so many sub plots are silly or don’t add up. Gary apparently has a film career, then starts selling waterbeds, and is arrested pointlessly. There’s a stupid motorcycle trick (The 1970s Evil Knievel? No, I jest.) And, to take the cake – and in reference to the 1973 oil crisis (you had to be there) – scenes where Gary and Alana are confronted with an obnoxious waterbed customer who’s run out of gas. And an absolutely silly - and boring - box truck running-on-empty scene, meant to be hilarious. Oy! This film only made me long for a stellar high school film, like Ridgemont, Cooley High (Michael Schultz 1975) or even The Breakfast Club (John Hughes 1985).