A few threads in the AF posts said this was similar, so finally gave it a go last night. So, 15 year old explores the US in the 70's, with a soundtrack of the time. Surrounded by older people and celebrities. Any other similarities or references?
shareThey share surface similarities -- and one poignant connection.
Similarities:
Both are set in 1973..I'll say "in the main" because Licorice Pizza might also have scenes in 1972 and I can't remember if Almost Famous left '73 for a time.
Consequently, a 1970s soundtrack -- but the Licorice Pizza soundtrack has a number of more "obscure" 1970s tunes(July Tree, Tomorrow May Not be Your Day.)
15-year old protagonist "involved" with an older woman(20s.) But the love connection is more strongly there in Licorice Pizza. The groupie idolized by the boy in Almost Famous isn't really interested in him romantically.
Both 15 year old protagonists are based on real people -- the one in Almost Famous is based on the film's maker, former Rolling Stone teen reporter Cameron Crowe. The one in Licorice Pizza is based on movie producer Gary Goetzman, a friend of writer director Paul Thomas Anderson.
Differences:
Almost Famous is very much about rock and roll, a rock band(Eagles-like), groupies and Rolling Stone magazine.
Licorice Pizza takes up other topics and adventures, specific to Gary Goetzman's youth -- child actor, waterbed entrepreneur, pinball machine entrepreneur -- and to the "star quality" of real life rocker Alana Haim as age-inappropriate(but otherwise PERFECT) love interest.
The poignant connection:
Gary Valentine in Licorice Pizza is played by Cooper Hoffman -- the real-life son of the late(and dead too young) Philip Seymour Hoffman -- who plays real-life Rolling Stone journalist Lester Bangs in Almost Famous.