Ignorance or Arrogance? Licorice Pizza and the pitfalls of success

My boyfriend and I recently saw the Oscar-nominated film ‘Licorice Pizza’ by Paul Thomas Anderson. Might I say that all in all I had a good time, unwinding to a rom-dramedy after work on a Friday night. However, despite some very cinematic moments and a good dose of 70’s nostalgia, the filmmaker and critic in me couldn’t brush off my frustration with a film that felt utterly self-indulgent, overly crafted and a typical example of a movie that serves more the artistic exploration and pleasure of the director, than that of his audience. It may be a fun 70’s romp but whether Licorice Pizza is Oscar-worthy, seems doubtful to me.

Let’s begin with, as Rotten Tomatoes nicely puts it “what passes for the plot”….