Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” felt like a mix of Richard Linklater’s “Everybody Wants Some” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” So, I’m glad that PTA is acknowledging the former’s groovy vibe and influence.
In a discussion with the L.A. Times, writer Glenn Whipp mentions "Dazed & Confused," amongst other Licorice Pizza influences, and PTA immediately turns to "Everybody Wants Some!!":
“We called [the movie] ‘Alana and Gary’ for the longest time, but I thought I’d had my fill of two given names for titles. I’m happy with it now. It feels good. You think of titles like ‘American Graffiti.’ ‘Fast Times.’ ‘Licorice Pizza.’ Good. All right, let’s stick with that company. Those are films that I thought about so much when I was making it.”
“‘Dazed and Confused,’” I offer.
“‘Dazed and Confused,’” Anderson affirms. “You know what’s a great title: ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ You like that film?”
“Oh, I love that film,” I answer, because if you’ve seen this 2016 Richard Linklater comedy, you’ll probably say what Anderson is about to say: “F—, what a good film! And so underrated!”
“It’s such a great hang movie, just like all those other ones you mentioned,” I say. “You know, the weird thing is, I’ve only seen it once.”
“Me too!” Anderson says. “And I think about it all the time. I think about seeing it again, like once a week, ‘C’mon, it’s time to watch “Everybody Wants Some!!” again.’ I remember it being very long and this absolute slow burn and working its way to its ending. When it comes to the light touch of my contemporaries, Richard Linklater is the king.”
I wrote this about Linklater’s film:
”Everybody Wants Some” is actually a spiritual successor to “Dazed and Confused.” A relatively unknown cast which includes Will Brittain, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Anthony Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell make up the ensemble which is an ode to the ‘80's as ‘Dazed’ was an homage to the ‘70's. The plot, much like the best of Linklater, is rather loose and nonconforming to narrative convention. In 1980 Texas, a college freshman (Jenner) meets his new baseball teammates (Will Brittain, Ryan Guzman), most of which happen to be disco-dancing, skirt-chasing partyers. The film, released right before the term “male toxicity” would sneak into the mainstream post-#MeToo, was met with breezy delight by critics. In “Everybody Wants Some” Linklater doesn’t just want to have fun either, he ends his film on a bittersweet note of maturity - the party may be over but the song remains. “
The man doesn't stop. James Gunn has confirmed he's already hard at work writing his next film, even as ‘Man of Tomorrow’ makes its way toward theaters next summer.