Paul Thomas Anderson's awards darling Licorice Pizza has become the subject of controversy as an Asian activist group calls on organizations to boycott it for its racist jokes. Thanks to lauded films like There Will Be Blood and Inherent Vice, Anderson is a popular director among devoted movie lovers, and his newest film, Licorice Pizza, sparked interest well before it was even released. The 1970s-set coming of age tale earned glowing reviews from critics and is already drumming up accolades after earning honors from groups like the National Board of Review. Additionally, Licorice Pizza set a specialty box office record for the pandemic era in its limited debut.
Licorice Pizza takes place in the San Fernando Valley and tracks the relationship between 15-year-old hustler Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) and Alana Kane (Alana Haim), a listless 25-year-old looking for a path forward. Over the course of disparate adventures and events, Gary and Alana gradually work out just what they mean to each other. Anderson's depiction of the 1970s and the unique relationship between the two main characters has earned Licorice Pizza plenty of praise, but it has also sparked some controversy over its more questionable elements.
The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) released a statement to Rafu Shimpo calling for awards bodies to boycott Licorice Pizza for its repeated racist jokes. Though the statement was issued last week, it only recently appeared to gain traction as Licorice Pizza entered wide release on Christmas Eve. According to MANAA, Anderson's film is not deserving of any awards recognition due to its casual racism. The statement reads:
Due to the casual racism found in the movie “Licorice Pizza,” the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) believes that Paul Thomas Anderson’s film is not deserving of nominations in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director, or Best Original Screenplay, and is asking other film critic associations to pass over it this awards season.
To shower it with nominations and awards would normalize more egregious mocking of Asians in this country, sending the message that it’s OK to make fun of them, even during a time when Asian Americans are afraid to go out on the streets because of the unprecedented levels of violence from fellow Americans blaming them for COVID-19.
The cringeworthy scenes in “Licorice Pizza,” which takes place in 1973, do not advance the plot in any way and are included simply for cheap laughs, reinforcing the notion that Asian Americans are “less than” and perpetual foreigners.
The racist jokes in question involve John Michael Higgins' businessman Jerry Frick, who appears twice in Licorice Pizza with two different Japanese wives. In both scenes, he uses a cartoonish and stereotypical Asian accent to address the women (played by Yumi Mizui and Megumi Anjo). Additionally, there's a joke where Gary mistakes the second wife for the first, not realizing Jerry has remarried. Per the MANAA statement, Anderson defended these jokes in an interview by claiming he wished to be honest to the time period Licorice Pizza is set in.
Licorice Pizza has also stirred up a conversation regarding the sizable age gap between Gary and Alana, though that appears to be more of a gray area for some. As for the racist jokes, it's fair to say Anderson's explanation of staying true to the setting isn't enough. Jerry's character adds little to the story, and there is no reason to have him act so blatantly racist for a simple joke. Licorice Pizza already does enough through its production design, costuming, and soundtrack to bring the 70s to life; sprinkling in some racism doesn't do much else. MANAA has taken a stand against it, and only time will tell if others stand with them.
Source: Rafu Shimpo