Licorice Pizza (2021): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending
Licorice Pizza is a 2021 comedy drama directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Alana Haim as Alana, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Skyler Gisondo. It runs 2 hours 13 minutes and earned $33.3 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. It won 2 awards from 22 nominations, among them 3 Oscar nominations. Critics gave it 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 90 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 13m (133 min)
- Director
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Original language
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English - Studio
- United Artists Releasing
- Budget
- $40M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Licorice Pizza About?
The premise of Licorice Pizza without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
Set in the 1970s San Fernando Valley, this coming-of-age story follows Alana Kane and Gary Valentine as they experience first love and the challenges of adolescence. Their journey unfolds against the backdrop of a changing era, filled with both tender moments and youthful exuberance. The film explores themes of friendship, ambition, and the search for identity, portraying a nostalgic look back at a specific time and place.
Licorice Pizza Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- jewish
- coming of age
- age difference
- year 1973
- teenage boy
- political campaign
- los angeles california
- waterbed
- woman teenage boy relationship
- oil embargo
- reference to barbra streisand
- running out of gas
+38 more Show fewer
- teenage entrepreneur
- child actor
- pinball arcade
- closeted homosexual
- atheism
- gay relationship
- first love
- teenage love
- japanese restaurant
- friendship
- jealousy
- sister sister relationship
- wrongful arrest
- jon peters character
- woman drives a truck
- joel wachs character
- san fernando valley california
- city councilman
- actor
- gay character
- fuel crisis
- coming of age drama
- martini
- brother brother relationship
- mother son relationship
- shabbat
- pinball machine
- pinball store
- jewish family
- period piece
- running
- gas station
- reference to grace kelly
- driving a truck backwards
- teenage boy touches a woman's breast
- hollywood california
- boys' bathroom
- looking at oneself in a mirror
Licorice Pizza Cast & Characters
Alana Haim leads the cast as Alana, with Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Skyler Gisondo. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson; 19 actors are credited in all.
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Director Paul Thomas Anderson
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Alana Haim as Alana -
Mary Elizabeth Ellis -
Skyler Gisondo -
Sean Penn as Jack Holden
Also Starring in Licorice Pizza
· 15 moreMore from Paul Thomas Anderson
More films directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, best-rated first: Phantom Thread, There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights and One Battle After Another.
Licorice Pizza Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Licorice Pizza 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 90 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10. Our Echo Score gives it 83/100, strongest in sensory experience (90) and weakest in story & flow (65).
Licorice Pizza Echo Score Breakdown
Licorice Pizza delivers a vivid recreation of early‑1970s California through confident direction and meticulous production design. Critics commend its lush cinematography and period‑accurate lighting, while users highlight the film’s atmospheric visual style and authentic set pieces. Although some viewers note a sluggish opening, the sustained aesthetic richness compensates for structural unevenness. The consensus positions the film as a strongly crafted, though occasionally meandering, period piece with lasting appeal.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 88
Direction and cinematography anchor the film’s nostalgic palette, with 35mm lenses capturing sun‑drenched streets and interior glow. Production design meticulously recreates era‑specific details, from storefront signage to wardrobe textures. Editing maintains a loose rhythm that mirrors adolescent spontaneity, though occasional lingered scenes create minor pacing dents.
- Character & Emotion 80
Performances from the teenage leads generate a raw, off‑beat chemistry that drives emotional engagement. Supporting actors contribute layered nuances, enriching the portrait of a loosely defined community. While many applaud the authenticity of youthful awkwardness, some critique the limited character arcs that leave narrative intentions underdeveloped.
- Story & Flow 65
The plot unfolds as a series of episodic vignettes that echo the aimlessness of adolescent life. Originality shines in its nostalgic framing, yet the lack of a clear through‑line produces a sense of narrative drift. Viewers who appreciate mood over momentum tend to respond more favorably.
- Sensory Experience 90
The soundtrack weaves period‑appropriate funk and rock, complementing a sound design that foregrounds street ambience and interior reverberations. Visual composition employs warm color grading and deliberate framing to reinforce nostalgia. Together, these elements craft an immersive sensory tableau that sustains viewer engagement throughout most of the runtime.
- Rewatch Factor 70
The film’s rich period detail and unpredictable vignettes reward repeated viewings, revealing subtleties in dialogue and background behavior. While its pacing may deter casual re‑engagement, fans of atmospheric storytelling often return for the nuanced performances and nostalgic visual flourishes that age gracefully.
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IMDb 7.1 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 90% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 65%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 90 Metascore
User score 6.8
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 70% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.6 /5
3K ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.2 /5
See on Movie Insider
Licorice Pizza Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in Licorice Pizza from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In San Fernando Valley, 1973, a group of boys eagerly awaits their moment in front of the camera while a couple of their peers mischievously detonate a cherry bomb in the bathroom. Among them, Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) finds himself drawn to the photographer’s assistant, Alana Kane (Alana Haim). Despite their age difference—15 and 25—Gary’s charm manages to persuade Alana to spend time with him, albeit not on a romantic date.
Full summary
The whole story of Licorice Pizza, scene by scene, with the ending explained
Licorice Pizza Box Office & Budget
Licorice Pizza grossed $33.3 million worldwide on a $40 million budget, 83% of what it cost. $17.3 million came from the US and Canada and $16 million (48%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$33.3M
83% of its budget back
- US & Canada
- $17.3M
- International
- $16M
- Budget
- $40M
Licorice Pizza Awards & Nominations
Licorice Pizza won 2 awards from 22 nominations, among them 3 Oscar nominations. Its biggest night was the Critics' Choice 2022, with 1 win from 8 nominations.
2 wins22 nominations6 ceremonies
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Critics' Choice 2022 1 win · 8 nominations- Won Best Comedy
- Nominated Best Acting Ensemble
- Nominated Best Actress – Alana Haim
- Nominated Best Director – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Nominated Best Editing
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BAFTA 2022 1 win · 5 nominations- Won Best Original Screenplay – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role – Alana Haim
- Nominated Best Director – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Nominated Best Editing
- Nominated Best Film – Paul Thomas Anderson
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Golden Globes 2022 4 nominations- Nominated Best Director – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Nominated Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Actor) – Cooper Hoffman
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Actress) – Alana Haim
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Oscars 2022 3 nominations- Nominated Best Picture
- Nominated Directing – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Nominated Writing (Original Screenplay)
Show all 6 ceremonies Show fewer ceremonies
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Actor Awards (SAG) 2022 1 nomination- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role – Bradley Cooper
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DGA Awards 2022 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Paul Thomas Anderson
Licorice Pizza Trailers & Videos
13 videos: 1 trailer, 4 teasers, 4 clips, 3 featurettes and 1 behind-the-scenes video.
- Teaser Advance Tickets for Select Theaters On Sale Now
- Teaser TV Spot "Life"
- Teaser Now Playing
- Teaser Now Playing
How Well Do You Know Licorice Pizza?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In what year is 'Licorice Pizza' set?
Cars in Licorice Pizza
71 cars on screen, including the 1972 Ford C-Series and the 1968 Pontiac unknown.
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1972 Ford C-Series Main role -
1968 Pontiac unknown Main role -
1975 AMC Matador Minor role -
1990 Chevrolet Step-Van Minor role
Licorice Pizza Also Known As
20 alternative titles, including “Soggy Bottom” and “Lakricas pica”.
- Also known as
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- Soggy Bottom
- Lakricas pica
- 리코리쉬 피자
- 甘草比薩
- ลิโคริช พิซซ่า
- Лакричная пицца
- Пица од сладића
- ליקריץ פיצה
- 甘草披萨
- Rêver grand
- Pizza od sladića
- Локрична піца
+8 more Show fewer
- Πίτσα Γλυκόριζα
- لیکوریش پیتزا
- Lékořicová Pizza
- 甘草披薩
- Saldymedžio pica
- リコリス・ピザ
- Sladičeva pica
- Lagritsapitsa
Seen Licorice Pizza?
Movies Like Licorice Pizza
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Loverboy, The Christian Licorice Store and Slums of Beverly Hills.
Licorice Pizza FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Licorice Pizza, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Licorice Pizza?
Licorice Pizza runs 2 hours 13 minutes (133 minutes).
When was Licorice Pizza released?
Licorice Pizza was released on November 26, 2021.
Who directed Licorice Pizza?
Licorice Pizza was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
More films by Paul Thomas Anderson Who is in the cast of Licorice Pizza?
Licorice Pizza stars Alana Haim as Alana, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Skyler Gisondo, among 19 credited actors.
How much did Licorice Pizza make at the box office?
Licorice Pizza grossed $33.3 million worldwide ($17.3 million domestic, $16 million international) on a budget of $40 million.
How is Licorice Pizza rated?
Licorice Pizza has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90 on Metacritic and 70% on TMDB.
What awards did Licorice Pizza win?
Licorice Pizza won 2 awards from 22 nominations, including Best Comedy at the Critics' Choice 2022.
Does Licorice Pizza have a post-credit scene?
No. Licorice Pizza has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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