Licorice Pizza Movie Storyline. San Fernando Valley, 1973. Disarmed by his fearless confidence and surprising maturity, bored 25-year-old photographer’s assistant Alana Kane reluctantly accepts to go out for a drink with sunny 15-year-old child actor Gary Valentine, her unexpected admirer. As one thing leads to another, the platonic soulmates embark on ambitious business ventures, trying to find their feet and purpose in a crazy world. But against the backdrop of life’s ups and downs, can Gary and Alana remain friends?
Licorice Pizza is a 2021 American period comedy drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It stars Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in their film debuts, alongside an ensemble supporting cast including Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, and Benny Safdie. Set in 1973, the film follows the development of a young couple’s relationship.
Licorice Pizza was released in the United States in select theaters on November 26, 2021, before wide release on December 25.[6] The film was acclaimed by critics and received three nominations at the 94th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, making it Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s first fully produced, marketed, and distributed film to be nominated for Best Picture since Rain Man in 1988.[7] It also received three awards from the National Board of Review, including Best Film, was named one of the best films of 2021 by the American Film Institute, and received four nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
About the Story
In 1973 San Fernando Valley, 15-year-old actor Gary Valentine prepares for his high school picture day. He notices Alana Kane, a photographer’s assistant in her 20s, and strikes up a flirtatious conversation with her. She rebuffs his advances, but ends up meeting him for dinner, becoming friends after Alana makes it clear that they cannot be a romantic couple. Gary prepares for a press tour attached to a film starring Lucy Doolittle.
When Gary’s mother Anita cannot take him to perform on the tour in New York, he invites Alana to chaperone him instead. On the plane, Alana meets Lance, one of Gary’s co-stars, whom she is shown to have an interest in. After returning from New York they begin dating, which makes Gary jealous. However, after an awkward dinner conversation about religion with Alana’s family, she and Lance break up.
Gary starts a successful waterbed company after randomly having come across one at a wig shop. He then sets up a booth to help sell beds at an expo, where he sees Alana for the first time since witnessing her on a date with Lance. Alana reveals that she no longer has a boyfriend and the two seem to reconnect. Suddenly, two cops apprehend Gary and he is falsely arrested on suspicion of murder.
Alana runs after the cop car all the way to the police station to try to help Gary, though shortly after arriving, he is released due to having been falsely identified. He runs out and hugs Alana. The pair then run happily back to the expo together. After the expo, Alana drives Gary and his friends home, and she later joins the business.
After a successful phone call with a potential waterbed customer where she’s advised by Gary to act seductive, Alana decides she wants to try acting. Gary sets up a meeting with his own talent agent. The meeting goes well until Gary gets upset at Alana willing to get nude for a movie, as she won’t show him her breasts. Shortly after, she agrees to show him them, but slaps him when he requests to touch them.
Later, they open a store for their waterbeds named “Fat Bernie’s”. The opening goes well, and Sue, a girl Gary knows who’s closer to him in age than Alana, shows up. They enjoy each other’s company and eventually go to a back room to hook up. Alana appears to be jealous of this and sneaks around outside to peek through a window to catch a glimpse of Gary and Sue, after which she storms off, briefly kisses a passerby man on the street, and then continues to hurriedly walk down the street and eventually home.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Cooper Hoffman, Maya Rudolph, Ben Stiller, John C. Reilly, Alana Haim, Skyler Gisondo, Benny Safdie, Tom Waits, Sean Penn, Christopher Walken
Screenplay by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Production Design by: Florencia Martin
Costume Design by: Mark Bridges
Set Decoration by: Ryan Watson
Art Direction by: Samantha Englender
Music by: Jonny Greenwood
MPAA Rating: R for language, sexual material and some drug use.
Distributed by: United Artists Releasing
Release Date: November 26, 2021
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