TaylorYee94

You're not into it till you're into it. I hate the first third of 'Licorice Pizza', and I hate that I started liking the rest of them. I'm STILL not sure if I like it or not. Being creepy is the second problem. How the story builds up is not very plausible and realistic because the premise is unlikely as heck. A 15-year-old boy succeeds in doing business with just his friends who are even younger than him. He goes to the restaurant that a 80-year-old movie star frequently visits and treats a bartender like his doorman. PTA wants to say he's mature for his age, but I'm still not convinced.

However, how the director portrays this weird and creepy love between Alana and Gary convinces me. Alana is such a realistic character that I could connect with her first. She wants to grow up and be something but does not know how. She is weak, vain, and naive and yells and screams because she's scared and frustrated. She gets disappointed in how real adult life works and finds comfort in Gary who is passionate and driven but pure at the same time. Very honest portrayal and in a very adorable way. Colors, aesthetics, and lighting of the scenes and running through beautiful images make their love convincing at the end. (or not? I stil don't know.)

I was just one year old in 1989, and I've never lived in England, not alone Sheffield. However, 'Mix Tape' does an amazing job in kindling nostalgia in everybody's heart. It connects the setting in the series with the audience through music, costume, and location. We are all transported back to Sheffield, England in 1989. Love between Dan and Alison is nostalgia as well. Their love alone cannot be convincing, and a writer gives Dan an easy-out by making Katya cheat on him. Their longing for 'the lost time' completes the whole love story.

The casting is stunning. Whoever casted younger versions of Dan, Alison, and Michael should get a raise. Not just their looks but their vibes are so similar to corresponding actors, so the time jump between past and present feels extra smooth. I personally do not like Teresa Palmer's acting. She swallows her sound before she spits it out. Only weakness in the series.