---
title: "Licorice Pizza: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/licorice-pizza/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/licorice-pizza"
critics_score: 82
critics_reviews: 29
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Licorice Pizza (2021): what the critics said

Critics' score 82 from 29 reviews: 28 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics love this one, and they agree on why. Twenty-eight of twenty-nine reviews are positive, and nearly all describe it as Anderson’s lightest and sunniest film, a loose 1970s coming-of-age comedy set in the San Fernando Valley. The praise clusters on the two first-time leads: Alana Haim is called a natural star in review after review, and Cooper Hoffman is rated almost as highly. The period detail, the soundtrack and the supporting cameos, Bradley Cooper’s in particular, are singled out repeatedly.

The reservations are about shape and about the romance itself. Several critics find the episodic structure baggy and think the digressions crowd out the central pair; The Hollywood Reporter and Vulture both argue the love story is the weakest element on screen. The spread is narrow. The lone dissenter is The Times, which finds the relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a 25-year-old woman creepy rather than charming, a charge the Evening Standard directly rejects.

## Little White Lies — David Jenkins

Rating 5/5/5. 4 January 2022. 

The review calls it Anderson's most purely pleasurable film to date, a silky-smooth love story about two people never quite in love at the same time that excels at world-building and character interplay. The newcomers Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman are singled out for shining in their roles.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/licorice-pizza)

## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen

Rating 5/5. 15 November 2021. 

The critic hails it as PTA's sunniest and most buoyant film yet, a free-spirited coming-of-age yarn with boundless energy and dizzying possibility. The greatest coup is singled out as the casting of the two novice leads who are born to their roles.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/licorice-pizza-2021)

## IndieWire — David Ehrlich

Rating A. 15 November 2021. 

Calls it a euphorically hilarious coming-of-age comedy and perfect slice of '70s nostalgia with standout performances from Cooper Hoffman, Alana Haim, and Bradley Cooper. Highlights the anarchic set pieces and PTA's ultra-dry comedic wit as making it one of the year's best.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson-1234679385/)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2021. 

The film is a valentine to the Valley and to Alana Haim in a boisterous, bighearted shaggy-dog epic full of Hollywood tall tales and entrepreneurial schemes. Chang singles out Haim’s star turn and the film’s affectionate yet clear-eyed portrait of 1970s Los Angeles.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-11-15/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson-alana-haim)

## Screen Daily

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2021. 

The critic calls it Anderson's gentlest, most endearing picture to date, a fully immersive and laidback study of youthful infatuation that gains momentum through its ambling structure. Alana Haim's marvellous debut performance as the disaffected twentysomething is singled out for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/licorice-pizza-review/5165144.article)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2021. 

Anderson’s latest is a romance about a teen boy wooing an older woman, starring two extraordinary newcomers and stuffed with fabulously hammy A-list cameos. It is hypnotically gorgeous, funny and romantic, freewheeling from scene to scene with absolute mastery.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/nov/15/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson)

## Slant Magazine — Carson Lund

Rating 3.5/4. 20 November 2021. 

Praises the rollicking picaresque structure, Haim family performances, and subtle hints of danger and inequity that give depth to the nostalgic ode to the Valley. Highlights the slow-burn romance and lively set pieces while noting the film's recognition of a thornier reality beneath the charm.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson/)

## Empire — John Nugent

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 30 December 2021. 

Paul Thomas Anderson’s shaggy, shambolic but utterly lovable film is called a thrilling culmination of his talents, blending freewheeling comedy with formal ambition and featuring remarkable debuts from its leads in a precise yet carefree evocation of youthful feelings.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/licorice-pizza/)

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Rating Critics Pick. 15 November 2021. 

Anderson’s most endearing movie yet is propelled by terrific first-time performances from Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in a colorful slice-of-life look at early-’70s Southern California. Debruge praises the throwback vibe, the central platonic romance, and the vivid ensemble cameos.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson-alana-haim-1235110340/)

## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd

Rating B+. 18 November 2021. 

Describes it as a woozy, shaggy time-warp comedy with an episodic quality and warm nostalgia, anchored by outstanding debuts from Haim and Hoffman. Notes it sometimes loses sight of the central relationship amid digressions and a few bum notes but remains admirable.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/paul-thomas-anderson-returns-to-the-valley-with-the-fun-1848080806)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 4 January 2022. 

The critic praises the fresh, non-creepy dynamic between the leads in this 1970s coming-of-age story and highlights how it subverts expectations around adult male entitlement while celebrating the young protagonists' energy and charm.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/licorice-pizza-film-review-paul-thomas-anderson-alana-haim-cooper-hoffman-b974905.html)

## Radio Times — Calum Baker

Rating 4/5. 

The review praises Anderson's freewheeling approach and the sparkling performances of the young leads that sell the blend of melancholy and nostalgic sweetness. The riotous Bradley Cooper cameo is singled out as one of the best set pieces.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-qo3cuh/licorice-pizza/)

## The i Paper

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 December 2021. 

The film is described as a largely delightful, subversive and charming rites-of-passage story set in early-70s LA that turns typical high-school romance conventions on their head through winning performances and evocative period detail.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/licorice-pizza-review-film-movie-paul-thomas-anderson-haim-romance-1375617)

## Sight and Sound

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 January 2022. 

The critic describes the film as PTA's most upbeat to date, a meandering yet intricate portrait of 1970s San Fernando Valley life centered on the shifting dynamic between a rudderless young woman and an enterprising teen. Praise is singled out for the charismatic newcomer leads and the vivid supporting cameos that enhance the central relationship.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/licorice-pizza-meandering-trip-beneath-california-sun)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2021. 

Praises Alana Haim's star-making debut as the too-cool 25-year-old and the film's affectionate, Altmanesque recreation of 1970s San Fernando Valley life with eccentric delights and a strong soundtrack. Notes that the loose, shaggy structure can feel baggy and that the central romance lacks robust tension.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/licorice-pizza-paul-thomas-anderson-1235047705/)

## The New Yorker — Richard Brody

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 December 2021. 

Anderson fuses a comedic romance and self-discovery story with a sharp debunking of Hollywood myths. Brody highlights the thrilling narrative audacity, the central relationship, and the performances of Haim and Hoffman.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/licorice-pizza-reviewed-paul-thomas-andersons-thrilling-coming-of-age-story)

## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 November 2021. 

The film is a shaggy, fitfully brilliant 1970s romp about a self-important teenage boy and a memorable woman in the San Fernando Valley. Dargis praises the performances and the vivid sense of place while noting its episodic, coming-of-age structure.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/25/movies/licorice-pizza-review.html)

## The Telegraph

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 December 2021. 

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest is a gently surreal romance that's not only set in the 1970s but feels as if it was actually made then. It is messy and improbable in exactly the same way that truth is often messy and improbable, making virtues of its fuzzy edges.

[Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/licorice-pizza-review-screwball-meandering-feels-seductively/)

## Vulture

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2021. 

Finds the film as exasperating as it is delightful, with the unlikely romance the least interesting aspect; praises the Valley idyll, Haim's testily compelling performance, and unpredictable digressions like the Jon Peters sequence while noting the lack of a satisfying central story.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/paul-thomas-andersons-licorice-pizza-movie-review.html)

## The Times — Kevin Maher

Rating ★★☆☆☆. 31 December 2021. 

Paul Thomas Anderson’s flabby tale irritates with its creepy central romance between a 15-year-old boy and 25-year-old woman, which feels odd and profoundly creepy. Much of the movie passes by as a pleasant divertissement until it doesn’t.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/licorice-pizza-review-a-creepy-romance-thats-delivered-cold-932hdwh8r)

## Consequence

Rating A+. 16 November 2021. 

Anderson's most heartwarming film yet is praised as a dizzying, easygoing ode to young love with naturalistic rhythms and romantic charm. The leads' sparring chemistry and the sunny, whirlwind mode echoing earlier PTA works are highlighted.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2021/11/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson/)

## /Film — Chris Evangelista

Rating 10/10. 16 November 2021. 

The critic calls the film absolutely wonderful and a highlight of Anderson's work. They single out Alana Haim's debut performance as a revelation, describing her as cool, confident, funny, and a natural star.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/662382/licorice-pizza-review-alana-haim-is-a-revelation-in-paul-thomas-andersons-wonderful-trip-back-to-the-1970s/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating A. 25 November 2021. 

The critic calls it Anderson's funniest and most heartfelt film yet, a charming hang-out movie and universal story of first love. Breakthrough performances by the leads and vivid period details in 1970s LA are singled out for praise.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson/)

## Paste — Aurora Amidon

Rating 9.5. 1 December 2021. 

The film is hailed as a romantic, summery blast and the greatest of the year for its playful, defiant structure that captures youthful awkwardness and love. Anderson's direction, the leads' performances, and nostalgic evocation of 1970s LA are praised.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/paul-thomas-anderson/licorice-pizza-review)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2021. 

Anderson delivers his lightest and most accessible film yet, a raucously funny coming-of-age romp through the San Fernando Valley. The critic singles out the engaging lead performances from newcomers Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman along with memorable supporting turns, especially Harriet Sansom Harris.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/video/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson-alana-haim-cooper-hoffman/)

## The Ringer — Adam Nayman

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2021. 

The review finds the film a transcendent, free-flowing victory lap that loosens Anderson's control into warm, nostalgic territory between Inherent Vice and Boogie Nights. The organizing principle of constant movement and the personal, open-hearted quality are singled out.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2021/11/26/movies/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson)

## Den of Geek — Don Kaye

Rating 4 out of 5. 24 November 2021. 

The critic calls it a warm-hearted, humane ode to 1970s California with an undercurrent of darkness, driven by astonishing debut performances from Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim. Singles out the lead actors' chemistry and authenticity for praise amid the film's messy, era-specific tensions.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/licorice-pizza-paul-thomas-anderson-queasy-ingredients/)

## NME — Leonie Cooper

Rating 4/5. 26 November 2021. 

The critic describes a sunny, screwball-comedy-style indie that makes stars of its young leads through their natural chemistry and authenticity. Singles out the fresh performances of Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman for making the age-gap romance and madcap schemes engaging.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/licorice-pizza-review-alana-haim-3105747)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 25 November 2021. 

Anderson crafts a joyful, one-of-a-kind delight that evocatively captures the early-1970s San Fernando Valley through an improbable romance and episodic adventures. The critic highlights the strong chemistry and performances of first-time leads Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman as central to the film's appeal.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/licorice-pizza-review-paul-thomas-anderson-alana-haim-cooper-hoffman/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/licorice-pizza.md