Alternate Best Actor 2021: Cooper Hoffman in Licorice Pizza

Cooper Hoffman did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe, for portraying Gary Valentine in Licorice Pizza.

Licorice Pizza is practically cinematic bliss for me in its romantic/comedic telling of 70's set misadventures of an ambitious high schooler and his late 20's crush.

It is usually with some trepidation whenever I hear of the casting of the child of a noted actor taking on a major role. As while there can be John David Washington's and Michael Douglas's, there also can just as easily be Scott Eastwood's and Jaden Smith's. The charisma doesn't always transfer and often the attempt can seem a bit forced. In the right circumstances though it can be just right. I'll admit though that I had no such trepidation whatsoever when hearing that the son of the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman was being cast as the lead in Paul Thomas Anderson's new film. The reason is in PTA I do trust, who has a knack to get memorable performances out of almost any actor, and if he saw something in the younger Hoffman, it must have been something worthwhile. There was no reason to doubt the man who could get a good performance out of Eric Roberts. This however also is not some bit part or even a supporting role but the male lead of the film of this romantic comedy. This is most certainly a challenge, and would be a challenge for a more seasoned actor. The pressure is very much on Cooper Hoffman to deliver on the promise of his name, this isn't dipping his toe into acting, but taking on the full brunt of carrying the film. 

From the opening scene, where we see Hoffman's Gary Valentine prepping himself for school pictures, it is immediately obvious that there should be no concerns and Hoffman is ready to take on this challenge. Of course, the reason why, is that Hoffman has such an easy presence on screen. There's no first-time reluctance or unease, he's naturally part of this world and you can just immediately accept him as Gary Valentine.I have to say it is impossible not to think of his father when watching him, and I mean that as the highest compliment. As the younger Hoffman, like the late Hoffman, is not who you would peg as your typical leading man in terms of presence, but oh does he just have that star charisma regardless. We get that in the opening scene right away as he's walking around the school and his eye catches one of the workers the, in her late 20's, Alana (Alan Haim), whom Gary attempts to approach and ask for a date. It has to be said the edge that is being walked here is tricky, but works so much because of the central performances of Hoffman and Haim. They just have it in a way that is nearly indescribable, because of the way they inhabit a scene isn't so easily defined. So much of the magic of the film though is their interactions that are defined by complication. 

A part of this complication is in the character of Gary himself who I feel is a combination of the younger version of two of his father's most memorable roles, the former child actor of Sandy Lyle in Along Came Polly, and even more so mattress magnate Dean Trumbell from PTA's previous romantic comedy Punch Drunk Love. The performance is then defined most by two major attributes, extreme confidence, and extreme high school insecurities. What Hoffman does is make Gary defined both aspects, but doesn't play it scene per scene, though usually, one has a stronger presence in a given scene, rather it is the way there is this constant fluctuation between them. The opening scene has all that bravado of someone seemingly with nothing to lose, and the lack of shame that is far more easily found in the young coming into his own than someone who has been around while. Hoffman plays so well by playing it as someone who really doesn't know any better than to try to charm the older Alana to the best of his ability even as she's only semi-respondent to it. Their first "date" is the young man seemingly filled with the confidence of the achievement, and puppy dog love as he describes to his brother he met the woman "he's going to marry someday", he seemingly has it all, though only perhaps a bit briefly. 

Hoffman's performance though is great because he is able to show that this surface confidence really only lasts so long in the relationship. As even on their first date as they walk home, Hoffman shows it starting to waver as he tries to kind of continue it and Hoffman's whole manner is someone who never quite had a plan once he got this far. Gary gets his second chance when he has Alana act as his chaperone for a showcase interview for a film that he appeared in, where he was among an ensemble of young performers. Again we see the law of diminishing returns which Hoffman wonderfully articulates as he tries to bring such assurance that he is going to be the star on stage yet instead just ticks off the actual star, essentially Lucille Ball, and looks like a creep as he attempts a quick sexual innuendo for his joke to Alana. Hoffman's performance of these moments shows where the confidence goes wrong, and that if he says the wrong thing, it so perfectly falls flat and really as a young man trying far too hard to seem greater than he is. Adding insult to injury his slightly older co-star Lance (Skyler Gisondo) begins a relationship, albeit short-lived, with Alana instead. 

The moments we see as Gary is stewing in his own failure is where the high school insecurities take their grip, and what's so great about Hoffman is that he is just as natural and honest in portraying this side. This is when he very much looks like the high schooler as looks upon with a fit of defeated jealousy at Alana walking with Lance while holding hands, or just the ball of distress when he calls Alana pretending to be Lance. In these moments he delivers that intensity of meekness in the moments of someone who cannot say the right thing and very much dares not to. He looks very much like the student in these moments and Hoffman, as much as his height and that confidence we see in many moments is terrific in creating the palatable sense of Gary when he is out of his element. Of course, being out of his element translates to anything that is entirely new for him, and when he can't get by through a smile or a quick idea or two. We are left with a young man who does want love but certainly has no idea of what steps to take in this given situation.

The two keep running into each other as they meet some not quite romantic, but not, not, romantic meeting point as designed by the two states of being they are in. Gary seems intent on moving up in the world as we enter the film while Alana's life is completely stagnant in a dead-end job while living in a small house with her sisters and parents. And within both, you get this fascinating tapestry between both getting to mature and while also giving into arrested development. Part of this running idea, where one won't help but feel the spirit of Dean Trumbell, is in Gary's dogged determination towards success regardless of whatever obstacles might be present in his way. Starting as an actor he has all the eagerness of the most eager of child actors, though this comes to an end when his childish qualities are lost now that he approaches adulthood. Gary though already has a PR company or maybe intends to sell waterbeds as well or maybe it's pinball. In each Hoffman brings that Trumbell energy, though less nefariously, in a guy putting everything in on the sale regardless of the situation. I think more important though is in Hoffman's performance is the lack of hesitation as he begins talking about the next prospect. Hoffman shows that he's not phased by any business setbacks at any point, there is that same wonderful eagerness to find his success in whatever the scheme it may be. 

The key to this performance though is the same as the key to this film which is Hoffman and Haim together. The film wouldn't work at all if you not only buy their relationship but you can also appreciate the nuances of it which are essential given the nature of the relationship. Their chemistry here is perfection but not because the relationship is perfect. It is rather a whole lot of different things all at once and the natural flow is what makes them so dynamic throughout the film. They are hilarious together in their moments of comic timing, whether that be Alana dismissing Gary's juvenile behaviors, or Gary attempting to be the cock of the walk while often just being more of a cock. There isn't a segment where they don't find the comedy just so naturally. Whether it be Gary overly joyously breaking Jon Peters's car after Peters threatened his family or his immediate befuddlement when being arrested in a case of mistaken identity. What's amazing though is they are also wholly sweet and sincere in so many moments as well. And it is the natural balance both create that makes them so winning together. They are genuinely warm and loving in moments, just as they are completely ridiculous. 

 

What I think both excel at is showing the way the two are in this constant fluctuation between maturation and falling into juvenile nonsense, the problem being is typically whose doing what is uneven, leaving their relationship naturally a bit strained. Hoffman though is great in the moments of seeming like just right as Gary finally shows some genuine class or love in the most earnest of ways. I think the ending scene honestly sums their relationship up, and just why they are so winning together, we four acts. They're running towards one another in a frantic search, wholly giving that sense of the thrill of each other and the endearing energy that defines them, of course before hitting into each other in a proper comic prat fall. The final moment though really says it with Hoffman's aggressively proudly dumb delivery of announcing Alana as "Mrs. Alana Valentine", against her exasperated reaction to his stupidity, before the two do finally just embrace and kiss in such a moment of genuine sincerity. It shows what works, as they are funny, as they create both discord and harmony with such a magical ease. It is the genius of PTA to not only craft this romance, but somehow seeing the avenue being two amateurs with musician Haim and the son of Philip Seymour Hoffman. I'll admit the elder Hoffman's departure hit me harder than most actor's deaths, as he was someone in his prime, just coming off of giving one of his best performances in his, sadly, last collaboration with PTA with The Master, and forever we'd lose that one of a kind presence. And that is where the only sadness I had with this film, was the occasional reminder when looking upon Cooper Hoffman's goofy smile, because it is that same smile as his dad's, though this sadness turned to joy each time. Because although we'll never forget his father for his own accomplishments, his legacy also continues with his son. The young Hoffman too is a completely unlikely lead, yet that is what makes him such a special one. I love that we were given the joy of a Hoffman family performance once again, and while I'm sure his path will be very different, I for one look forward to the next step. And even if he decides not to continue the acting path, I'm glad Cooper Hoffman took the time to give us this absolute delight of a performance.