Mystic Pizza (1988)

(On Cable TV, March 2019) If you know Julia Roberts but wish she’d do something more daring than her usual screen persona, then stop what you’re doing and go watch Mystic Pizza if you haven’t already done so: it’s a revelation. Here, a pre-stardom, pre-Pretty Woman Roberts has a very early role as a fiery curly-haired teenager and you won’t believe the cuss-words coming out of her mouth. That’s more than enough of a reason to watch the film, but fortunately there’s more to it: an affectionate coming-of-age story, coupled with an engaging look at the travails of a small family-owned pizzeria on the brink of closing down. The small-town atmosphere is credibly presented, and while Annabeth Gish hasn’t risen to the same superstardom as her co-star, her work here is also quite good—along with Lily Allen in a supporting role. In the end, Mystic Pizza does feel like its namesake food—a bit cheesy, rather delicious, very familiar, incredibly comforting. Not something to be snobby about.