Licorice Pizza
The story of Gary Valentine and Alana Kane growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.
Wokeness: 30%
Overall Score: 70%
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User Submitted Reviews
Bob A
Unique and entertaining
Great performances from an excellent cast. No politics in sight.
Created: 11-19-2022
Michaels
Three woke flags
I must throw three woke flags on the play.
Spoilers follow, but the film is predictable.
Over-representation of homosexuals: there are three homosexuals, which seems excessive. 1 woke point.
Pedophilia: love affair (though no sex) between a 25 year old woman and a 15 year old boy. In modern society, many give a pass when the underage one is a male, doubly so if he is the one pursuing a sexual relationship, as was the case here. Others insist on sexual equality and no free passes for women. And some debate whether the age of consent is too high. The age of consent in California in 1973 was the same as today's: 18. Yes, there was no sex in this movie, but there was indecent exposure to a minor and a kiss. Bottom line is that this is questionable content to cover *uncritically* in a movie in the modern era. 1 woke point.
Pedo-ception: While the boy pursues this woman, she falls for every older male with any hint of power, money, or bravado. The boy also has all that going for him, somehow being a business mogul and lady's man at age 15. (I speculate that he was originally supposed to be Jewish, like the woman.) The woman's "easiness" made me feel sorry for the boy. I guess it's possible that she was looking for any way to escape the advances of the boy. The woman does her best to resist the boy, making the audience blueballed until close to the end, when we cheer internally as she gives in to temptation. This audience manipulation triggers my final woke flag: 1 woke point.
The director says that the name of the movie, Licorice Pizza, comes from a record store chain from the 70's. Maybe, *suspicious sideways glance*, but take it easy with the "pizza" references given your chosen topic of pedophilia and chosen location/theme of the Hollywood community.
Otherwise, the film is okay and somewhat enjoyable, but feels flawed in various ways, such as the plausibility of some of the characters and the shotgun approach to plot.
Created: 12-21-2023
