Licorice Pizza - 3 nominations

 

Best Motion Picture of the Year Sara Murphy (producer) Adam Somner (producer) Paul Thomas Anderson (producer)

Best Achievement in Directing Paul Thomas Anderson

Best Original Screenplay Paul Thomas Anderson (written by)

Oy caramba, I feel strongly both ways on this film.  On the one hand, I liked the characters, I liked the journey and the arc of the story, and it was so much fun to see the "Valley" in Los Angeles during the time period when I was also growing up.  The fun of the nostalgia in the movie, seeing the portrayal of Joel Wachs as a new early career politician, the memory of the gas crisis, and so many other details reminding me of growing up in Los Angeles in the 70s tugged at my heart.

Here's the problem, 15 year old go-getter/entrepreneur/actor/publicist/businessman Gary befriends 25 year old Alana at school picture day.  She's a bit aimless and hasn't figured out her direction in life, and she starts working for Gary.  Their companionship and friendship grows with an uncomfortable sense that he wants more (as a 15/25 year old relationship, blech) and she has a fascination with him that she can't quite explain.  We can't quite explain it either except that we assume that as an unsettled young woman, this 15 year old who has such a handle on his life (his mother works for him, for heavens sake!) is exciting and fascinating to her, he is almost a role model for her.

Along the way are some pretty great moments with Bradley Cooper and Sean Penn in short, thrilling, cameo roles.  Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim are fantastic in their debut performances.  I had a tiny, very Jewy giggle during the Shabbat dinner scene which shows the family singing the prayer over the Shabbat candles, accidentally using the Chanukah candle lighting tune. I, and 5 other people likely in the world would even notice that tiny error.

So I loved it, right?  WRONG.  I'm sorry, I couldn't get past what I'm calling this year's obsession with inappropriate relationship storylines.  This is pedophilia plain and simple.  (There is a theory that the movie, which appears to last a few months actually spans 3 years making them 18 and 28 when they get together, but even then, what on earth could a 28 year old woman have in common with an 18 year old child? I have kids, trust me, 18 year olds are children no matter what the law says.  ICK.)  You may remember I had the same problem with Call Me By Your Name several years ago, just like I have the same problem with Red Rocket this year, just like I have the same problem with Parallel Mothers... do you sense a theme?  Knock it off with the pedo stuff, movie makers.

I'm generally inconsistent with my evaluation of Paul Thomas Anderson movies.  This is the first time that I just can't say unequivocally, "I liked it" or "I hated it."  How about, "I hated liking it."