Movies Like Licorice Pizza You Really Need To See

Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" is one of the best films of 2021. The hilarious coming-of-age romance features breakout performances from its two young stars, 15-year-old Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim (who grew up working with Anderson). The pair captures the complicated emotions that come with an untraditional relationship. "Licorice Pizza" explores all the exciting highs and devastating lows of young love.

Anderson's film celebrates L.A. culture in the 1970s. It follows child actor Gary Valentine (Hoffman) as he builds his career and falls in love with a photographer named Alana Kane (Haim). Gary gets Alana to accompany him on his promotional tour in New York, and she becomes involved in his schemes. Gary manages to sell waterbeds, steal oil, clean celebrities' houses, run an arcade, and get into trouble with the law. Alana questions what her future will look like if she continues hanging out with him.

The film earned Academy Award nominations and is currently playing in theaters. If you loved "Licorice Pizza," then these are some other movies you should watch.

"Licorice Pizza" captures the energy of the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s with a touching coming-of-age story. Anderson does a great job exploring the music, culture, and social changes that were important to young people during this period in history. However, there's no better way to understand what growing up in the '60s felt like than watching one of the best coming-of-age dramedies of that decade. George Lucas' 1973 classic "American Graffiti" may take place in 1962, but it captures the bold attitude of the New Wave movement in '70s American filmmaking.

"Licorice Pizza" explores how its characters grow and develop over several months, but "American Graffiti" focuses on just one pivotal evening. The film follows a group of lifelong best friends on the night of their high school graduation. Curt Henderson (Richard Dreyfuss), Steve Bolander (Ron Howard), John Milner (Paul Le Mat), and Terry Fields (Charles Martin Smith) contemplate what their futures will look like during their last stretch of adolescence.

Each of the teens discovers that romance is more complicated than they imagined. Curt searches for a mysterious girl he knows only as "The Blond," but Steve considers whether he should stay home indefinitely to be with his girlfriend Laurie Henderson (Cindy Williams). John is forced to set aside his romantic endeavors when he is forced to look after 12-year-old troublemaker by the name of Carol Morrison (Mackenize Phillips) hitches a ride with him. Surprisingly, it's only the geek Terry who has the night of his life.

Anderson isn't just one of the best filmmakers working today, but a major film buff in his own right. "Licorice Pizza" is a love letter to the 1970s and celebrates pivotal achievements in Hollywood cinema. Anderson has enjoyed honoring the work of other prominent filmmakers, and he recently praised the work of fellow writer/director Quentin Tarantino. He cited Tarantino's film "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" as one of his favorite recent moviegoing experiences. It's no wonder that Anderson loved "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood," which is also a tribute to early Hollywood film history. 

Set in Los Angeles in 1969, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" focuses on systemic changes within the industry. Tarantino homages the last days of the Golden Age of Hollywood before the shocking Charles Manson murders rocked the industry. Like "Licorice Pizza," the film recreates many famous Hollywood historical figures. Fictionalized versions of celebrities like Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch), Steve McQueen (Damien Lewis), and Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) all appear. 

Anderson honors some of the most famous films of the era, but he also takes a realistic look at the realities of being a struggling actor. "Licorice Pizza" centers on a young actor like Gary, who is at the beginning of his career. "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" shows what its like for an older star, like Leonardo DiCaprio's Rick Dalton, who fears that he is at the end of his.

It's a good thing that "Licorice Pizza" is doing so well in its theatrical run, because hilarious scenes like Bradley Cooper's extended cameo are best enjoyed with an audience. Amidst the great humor, Anderson tells an authentic story. Gary and Alanas' hopes, fears, and emotions are realistic given the circumstances they are in. Anderson was able to craft a dramedy about real people, a skill he shares with one of his contemporaries: Richard Linklater.

Linklater also emerged in the 1990s, and likes to homage his established classics with his new films. One of Linklater's best recent projects was his 2016 college comedy "Everybody Wants Some!!," which acts as a "spiritual sequel" to his beloved 1993 film "Dazed and Confused."

Like "Licorice Pizza," "Everybody Wants Some!!" shows all the hilarious and heartbreaking mistakes that young adults make when they're left to their own devices. The film centers on college freshman Jake Bradford (Blake Jenner), who is accepted into a highly competitive Texas college baseball team. During the week before college classes start, Jake and the other new recruits are invited to live with the upperclassman in an off-campus house and train for the new season. The older men have planned a rigid schedule that includes an equal amount of practicing and partying.

"Licorice Pizza" explores the anxieties that adolescents feel as they fall in love for the first time. Gary and Alana aren't sure how to express their feelings for each other; Gary is very open and expressive, but Alana is more emotionally closed off. This sharp contrast makes their relationship more engaging.

The British writer/director Richard Ayoade captured a similar awkward tension in his 2010 coming-of-age comedy "Submarine." Like "Licorice Pizza," the film is so funny that even the more embarrassing moments don't feel uncomfortable to watch. "Submarine" follows lonely 15-year-old Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts), who makes a checklist of everything he wants to accomplish by the time he graduates high school. At the top of Oliver's list is having his first relationship.

Oliver is hopelessly in love with his classmate Jordana (Yasmin Paige), whose only priority at the moment is making her cheating ex-boyfriend jealous. Jordana decides to accept Oliver's advances. What she doesn't realize is that Oliver has already planned a future for a relationship that lasts much longer than what she had in mind.

In "Licorice Pizza," Gary and Alana don't come from similar backgrounds. Gary has grown up in the film industry, and he's been hustling for his entire life. Alana has never quite found her place in the world. She's embarrassed to have awkward conversations with her family about her plans for the future. Both characters realize that they have much more in common than they initially expected; they both have always had an independent streak. Their free-spirited emotions are reminiscent of many '70s romantic classics.

"Licorice Pizza" has been praised for its timelessness, but 1970's "Love Story" has already proven that it's just as effective a half century later. Like "Licorice Pizza," the film centers on a romance between two characters that seem like polar opposites.

Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O'Neal) comes from a wealthy family, and aims to escape from his parents' influence. Oliver wants to meet people from different walks of life as he studies at Harvard College. He falls in love with Jenny Cavilleri (Ali McGraw), a poor girl who can't relate to his privileged upbringing.

Many of the best coming-of-age films are about characters who are forced to step outside of their shells. In "Licorice Pizza," Gary is used to the rigors of being a child star, but discovers he's in no way prepared for adult responsibilities. Alana is also put in an uncomfortable position, and learns that she hasn't quite figured out how she wants to spend her future. Watching these two open themselves up to new experiences makes their character development more engaging.

The 2013 dramedy "The Way Way Back" is very similar, as it's all about growing up and adjusting to change. The film centers on the shy, 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James), who spends a summer with his mother Pam (Toni Collette) in her pretentious boyfriend Trent's (Steve Carrell) lake resort. Trent torments Duncan, who feels all alone. However, the local water park operator, Owen (Sam Rockwell), decides to take the shy teenager under his wing. He gives Duncan a job, and teaches him important life lessons.

"Licorice Pizza" centers on a somewhat niche generation that grows up during an exciting period of change in the country's history. American youth culture changed radically within the 1970s. Although "Licorice Pizza" looks back at this pivotal decade in retrospect, it still feels very "in the moment."

Sometimes, a film can spotlight a cultural movement right as it emerges. Ben Stiller captured Generation X with his 1994 feature film directorial debut, "Reality Bites." It became one of the quintessential films about the era. Like "Licorice Pizza," "Reality Bites" examines young lovers who are exploring the freedoms of artistic expression.

The film follows aspiring documentarian Lelaina Pierce (Winona Ryder), who lives with her musician boyfriend, Troy Dyer (Ethan Hawke), after they both graduate college. Lelaina wants to make a documentary about her generation. She is very ambitious, but Troy is an underachiever. After a major argument, they both go their separate ways. However, when Lelaina starts a new relationship with the wealthy Michael Grates (Stiller), Troy tries to win her back.