The anger over Licorice Pizza intensified this weekend with the film’s wide release.
As AsAmNews arts & culture writer Jana Monji reported in her review, the film is a “slice of racism” coupled with a 15-year-old boy’s “creepy” pursuit of a 25-year-old woman.
Two Japanese women appear in the film with seemingly no purpose except for their husband and ex-husband to speak to them in an offensive fake Japanese accent.
“Hold them accountable for their racism,” Sherry Wang tweeted. “Plz use hashtags like #StopAsianHate and #StopAAPIHate to name those that perpetrate, justify, excuse, and celebrate anti-Asian racism.”
Plz use hashtags like #StopAsianHate & #StopAAPIHate to name those that perpetrate, justify, excuse, & celebrate anti-Asian racism.
— Sherry Wang (@DrSherryCWang) December 20, 2021
It’s the racist scenes in “Licorice Pizza” AND it’s the film critics/associations applauding the movie…
Hold them accountable for their racism! https://t.co/Wag3iFnvPo
Adding to the controversy is the critical acclaim Licorice Pizza is receiving including four Golden Globe nominations. The Media Action Network for Asian Americans recently released a statement to Rafu Shimpo calling for critics to bypass the film for award consideration so as not to normalize racism.
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“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,” MANAA said in its open letter.
Some have gone on social media to call on moviegoers to boycott the movie.
One critic openly spoke about his ambiguous feelings about Licorice Pizza.
‘I love Licorice Pizza,’ Manori Ravindran, Variety’s international editor, said.
‘The only thing that has me stumped is John Michael Higgins’ bizarre anti-Japanese racist nonsense.’
Many have been focused on the age-inappropriate relationship the film is centered around.
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