I recently rewatched Licorice Pizza, after first seeing it in the theater when it came out, and it landed even harder the second time. The visuals are stunning. The color, the softness, the sun-baked palette. It feels less like a traditional narrative and more like a lived-in memory.
Rewatched Licorice Pizza a few nights ago and what really got me this time was the color. The whole palette is warm, vibrant, rich, and somehow very realistic. Even though it’s the seventies and things are objectively getting a little bleak, oil crisis, cultural shift, all of that, the movie never feels cynical. These kids have this innocent optimism and belief in themselves that’s kind of beautiful. They’re hustling, but not in a dark way. It’s more like pure momentum. They’re just in their lane doing their thing, almost untouched by the larger anxiety creeping around them.
Visually, it’s just so good. Long takes, long shots, letting scenes breathe. You really get a sense of place. The atmosphere of different neighborhoods, different interiors, different rooms. Nothing feels rushed. It’s confident enough to just sit with you for a while and let you soak it in. That restraint is inspiring. It trusts that the vibe matters as much as the story beats. Plus it’s incredibly nostalgic. And I mean that in the best way.
The soundtrack is on point. Every song feels right, but never showy. It’s not trying to announce itself. It just quietly deepens the mood and carries you along. And the performances are incredible. The lead, Cooper Hoffman (who is Philip Seymour Hoffman’s son) is unbelievably natural. He feels real in a way that’s hard to fake. No forced moments, no trying too hard. Just completely believable and sincere.
The female lead is Alana Haim, from the band Haim with her sisters, and this was essentially her first film role. She’s amazing. Completely natural, funny, awkward, confident, unsure, all of it. Nothing feels performed or forced. She just feels real on screen, which is wild for a first time actor, and she grounds the whole movie in a way that makes everything else work.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, whom I find inspiring. The confidence to make something that’s this loose, this warm, this feeling forward. It’s a reminder that not everything has to be sharp or optimized to land. Sometimes it just needs belief, tone, and space to breathe. That kind of work sticks with you.