william holden – Smaller Pictures

Licorice Pizza (2021)

One of the most critically acclaimed films to come out of 2021 is Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest release, Licorice Pizza. The film follows the unlikely meeting of teenager actor, Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) and photographer assistant, Alana Kane (Alana Haim) and the subsequent turbulent relationship that develops between them. Although Gary and Alana have very different backgrounds, they both have passion and ambition to better themselves and it is this drive that they have that leads into their adventures and the events of the film. Anderson’s ability to create fully-rounded characters that have talents and flaws is what makes Licorice Pizza so captivating.

As expected of an Anderson film, Licorice Pizza is filled with well-written characters, a character-led storyline and is beautifully directed. However, Licorice Pizza has not been without controversy thanks to the age gap between the protagonists with Gary being 15 and Alana being 25, especially as their relationship begins to grow closer. The age gap does make Licorice Pizza uncomfortable to watch at times because Gary is underage. However, as with any Paul Thomas Anderson film, there is much more going on aside from the protagonists relationship. We see Gary and Alana’s separate personal lives and thr colourful characters that they encounter such as Jon Peters (Bradley Cooper) and a heartbreaking storyline with local politician, Joel Wachs (Benny Safdie). Anderson’s eclectic mix of real characters, characters based on real people and fictional creations helps to create a California that is true to his style and vision.

Alana Haim has proven herself to be one of the standout newcomers of 2021. She has already shown that she is an incredibly talented musician as she is a member of the band, Haim with her two sisters who play her sisters in the film as well. What makes Haim such a joy to watch is the charisma that she brings to the character. We don’t always understand Alana’s choices and may not agree with them, but there is something about Haim’s performance that keeps the audience watching. We feel the frustrations that Alana has as she deals with a bunch of kids that don’t have the same understanding of the world as she does, while simultaneously finding herself overwhelmed by the pressures from the older generation. Alana simply wants to find a place where she belongs and her journey leads her to Gary. She knows that embarking on a relationship with Gary is wrong due to his age, but she is constantly drawn back to him. Her attempts to reject her feelings fail as she finds herself in harm’s way while on a date with actor Jack Holden (Sean Penn) while differing religious beliefs get in the way of her blooming relationship with Lance (Skyler Gisondo).

To play the role of Gary, Anderson bestowed the task upon Cooper Hoffman, son of the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman. Marking his film debut, Hoffman proves that he has what it takes to not only lead a film, but to do so with the charisma and charm that feels resonant of his father’s work. Gary is a confident character and adamant that he knows what he wants. In the film’s opening scene, we see him meet Alana and tell her that she is the love of his life. Despite only being aged 15, Gary’s life is filled to the brim with adult responsibilities. He is an actor and businessman, running a waterbed business and a pinball arcade during the film’s timeline. It’s easy to forget that the character is only 15 due to the high levels of responsibility and common sense that he has. On the other hand, he is extremely naive and believes that the world revolves around him. Anderson’s decision to have both protagonists played by newcomers is incredibly smart as they bring that starry-eyed ambition to the roles that perhaps a veteran would not have been able to do.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s films are known to be filled to the brim with stars and although he has newcomers in the leading roles, he makes sure that he has an A-list cast in support. The highlight of the supporting cast is Bradley Cooper as Jon Peters in what is a deeply unsettling and neurotic performance that captures Peters’ unpredictability perfectly. From the moment he appears on the screen, the tone of the film instantly shifts as he is deeply threatening in delivery while masking his threats in comical analogies and metaphors. The entire storyline that involves Peters is the best sequence in the film and this is thanks in part to Cooper’s intense portrayal.

Jonny Greenwood returns for his fifth collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson and as expected, it is fantastic. Unlike other Anderson films, Licorice Pizza is dominated by songs from the 1970s in its soundtrack and doesn’t utilise Greenwood’s score as much. When we do hear Greenwood’s tracks, he takes advantage of the romantic undertones of the story as the music is filled with the longing that the characters have for each other. 2021 has been a busy year for Greenwood as he has also composed the music for Spencer and The Power of the Dog and it’s amazing to hear how different each soundtrack is while managing to maintain his own identity throughout.

There are aspects of Licorice Pizza that feel uncomfortable at times, primarily the age gap between the protagonists and the way their relationship is portrayed. However, there is no denying that the film is beautifully shot and is filled with fantastic performances, especially from Alana Haim and Bradley Cooper. Licorice Pizza is a nostalgic nod to 1970s California and transports us to the world behind the scenes of Hollywood in a way that hasn’t been done before.

What did you think of Licorice Pizza? Let me know in the comments below!

Licorice Pizza is out in cinemas now!

Top 5 Audrey Hepburn Performances

Known as one of the leading ladies in the Golden Era of Hollywood, Audrey Hepburn epitomised glamour and class in the way she conducted herself onscreen and off. A lady who could do no wrong, there is a reason why Hepburn is truly a cultural icon and this goes beyond her striking features. Winning and Oscar for her debut performance in Roman Holiday as a rebellious princess, Hepburn made her mark in Hollywood instantly carving out a career that shows how consistent and rounded she is as an individual. Even if you haven’t seen her films, you know her face. Ingrained as one of the most important legendary of 20th century cultural icons, Hepburn has become synonymous with the classic Hollywood actress.

Hepburn led a varied career to her showcasing acting, singing, dancing onscreen and then fashion muse, model and UNICEF ambassador offscreen. She has been one of my personal inspirations for many years and one of my favourite actresses of all time.

In celebration of a brilliant and legendary career, here are my top 5 films for the one and only, Audrey Hepburn!

The list (as always) is in chronological order:

Roman Holiday (1953)

The one that started her career off with a bang and an Oscar. Hepburn plays Ann, a Princess who is visiting Rome as part of her royal tour who escapes in the middle of the night to experience life as a normal person. She stumbles across cynical journalist, Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) and the two spend a day visiting the famous landmarks across the city. Despite being filmed in black and white, the film manages to show us the colourful world of Rome. It’s a film that feels very revolutionary in many ways. From filming on location in Rome (sacrificing a full colour film) and Peck’s insistence that Hepburn receive an equal billing for her performance. Roman Holiday is the perfect film to watch when feeling nostalgic for Old School Hollywood. The chemistry between Peck and Hepburn is evident from the get go and it’s great to see Hepburn playing such a rebellious character who is hugely reluctant to slot into her role as a Princess.

Sabrina (1954)

This is not by any means a popular film beyond the costume designs. It received mixed reviews upon release and tales of the troubled production mainly at the hands of leading man Humphrey Bogart who was consumed by his alcoholism but there is something that is magical to me with Hepburn’s performance in this film. Playing the titular role in this Billy Wilder romance, Hepburn is the daughter of a chauffeur who lives within the estate of a wealthy Larrabee family. She is shipped off to Paris to learn cookery and comes back glamorous and catches the eye of the two wealthy Larrabee sons, the older serious brother, Linus (Bogart) and the young and handsome David (William Holden). It’s a classic Cinderella-esque story with a bit of Pygmalion thrown in and I really love the result personally. I won’t deny that the costumes play a big role because of the history that it sparked the beginning of Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy’s lifetime friendship and collaboration although Edith Head ultimately received credit for the designs and received the Academy Award for Best Costume Design. But ultimately it is the simplicity and elegance of this film that draws me to it and I am a big fan of Wilder’s direction.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

I don’t think it would be possible not to include this on the list. A film that gives not only one of Hepburn’s best performances but also a revolutionary and cultural shift in modern cinema. Based on Truman Capote’s novella of the same name, Hepburn plays protagonist Holly Golightly, a socialite who leads her life carelessly as she shimmies down the street and eats pastries at the windows of Tiffany’s & Co. The film carries a different tone to the book as Holly’s prostitution, alcoholism, drug-use and bisexuality are shunned almost completely and are very briefly referred to at various points. Hepburn’s portrayal of Holly is far from the Marilyn Monroe figure that Capote had pictured in mind when writing the novella but it works for the film. It may not be a faithful adaptation as far as characterisation goes but it captures the struggle to achieve the American Dream beautifully and shows a woman who is willing to do what it takes to achieve security in a world that is cynical and shut off from those who aren’t afforded it at birth.

Charade (1963)

Hepburn is teamed up with Hollywood superstar Cary Grant in this thriller that sees Hepburn play Reggie Lampert, a woman whose life is thrown into chaos as her estranged husband, Charles, is murdered and her belongings are sold off. She is pursued by three criminals who are seeking revenge after Charles stole money from them years before. With the help of Peter Joshua (Grant), an American whose brother was also killed by the same men, they embark on a search for the money. The film becomes a spiral as Peter reveals identity after identity and Reggie becomes less and less sure who to trust. It also shows another side of Hepburn as she hasn’t done many thriller or action films before. As Peter is telling us of his many identities, Reggie keeps her cards close to her chest with Hepburn giving an equally layered performance.

My Fair Lady (1964)

This may be a controversial choice as it’s widely known that Hepburn didn’t sing in her role as Eliza Doolittle in this musical adaptation of George Bernard-Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion that follows the working-class Doolittle as she is taken under the wing of linguist, Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) who is convinced that he can teach her to talk “proper” and introduce her into high society. There is something remarkable about seeing some so polished as Hepburn playing someone like Eliza which is so different to her other roles. Many critics were disapproving of Hepburn having her singing dubbed but the role of Eliza is much more than her voice, ironically. Hepburn truly becomes Eliza, her physicality and poise is spot on and who can forget the iconic racetrack scene. It’s a film that shows Hepburn’s skill in a more comical film than her other roles and you can tell that she is having a lot of fun in the role.

There are so many other brilliant performances that I haven’t had the chance to include but in a career that is so fantastic, it really was a challenge.

Which Audrey Hepburn films are your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!