Licorice Pizza (2021)

Set in 1973 in the San Fernando Valley, a 15 year old high school kid (Cooper Hoffman) is attracted to the 25 year old woman (Alana Haim), who's the assistant to the photographer taking class pictures. He pursues her and a most unusual romantic relationship ensues. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (MAGNOLIA), this quirky romantic comedy breathes new life into the "coming of age" genre though it is not without controversy. Anderson makes no comment on the romantic relationship between a 25 year old woman and a 15 year old boy. If the situation were reversed and it was a 25 year old man and a 15 year old girl, I doubt most of the reviewers fawning over the movie would have been so generous. I love Anderson's work but there's no denying there's an element of discomfort watching the scenario unfold. This is the film debut for both Haim and Hoffman and Anderson elicits completely natural performances from them. I live in the film's setting, the San Fernando Valley (also the setting of his BOOGIE NIGHTS and MAGNOLIA), so the movie holds an appeal for me that it might not have with others not familiar with the area. Anderson incorporates real people into the narrative like film producer Jon Peters (Bradley Cooper), gay politician Joel Wachs (Benny Safdie) as well as based on real people like William Holden (Sean Penn), Lucille Ball (Christine Ebersole) and director Mark Robson (Tom Waits). With Maya Rudolph and John Michael Higgins.