Licorice Pizza Review: A Wholesome Coming-of-Age Romance That Made Me a Bigger Paul Thomas Anderson Fan

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This is a wholesome, endearing coming-of-age romance that completely won me over, after skipping it more times than I can count. Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA) directs, set in 70s suburban San Fernando Valley, starring newcomers Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman.

We skipped on watching this movie a lot. I first heard about it because PTA directed it. Saw the trailer, wasn’t a fan of Alana Haim, skipped it. Then we saw I Want Your Sex (2026), where Cooper Hoffman was the lead. I told my wife we’d watch it, saw the trailer again, and passed. But somehow we ended up watching it anyway.

The trailer is horrible. It failed to give us a reason to watch it, twice.

But we saw it anyway, and we were sold on the first scene. It was one of the best meet-cutes ever. I still didn’t like Haim when we started watching, but she quickly won me over after that first scene. Both leads did.

This would be a great weekend afternoon watch. The acting is superb. The chemistry is palpable and undeniable.

The oil rationing scene hits deep, because that’s also 2026. And it’s the most I’ve understood David Bowie, which was playing in that scene.

Very sweet movie. Gives a bit of Linklater/Cameron Crowe feels. And now I’m an even bigger stan of PTA. How can the guy who made There Will Be Blood (2007) and One Battle After Another (2025) also be the guy behind this? Well, he also did Phantom Thread (2017), which is also a really great movie.

Loved this movie. Which is a giant swing from skipping on it several times.

★★★★☆ for me. ★★★★☆ for her.

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