Mystic Pizza (1988) Review

Three teenage girls Kat, Daisy and Jojo come of age in this story whilst working in a pizza parlour. Each having to deal with love and loss whilst trying to work out which direction their life is going in.

This is such a typical late 80s/early 90s romantic comedy and makes you wonder how the genre has gone so terribly wrong in recent years. While the clothes and cars have not aged well the morals in the story are still very much the same. Falling in love for the first time, trying to decide if marriage is the correct step to take as well as trying to figure out how life is going to be.

We are taken on a journey of understanding love with the three girls and each is a different situation when it comes to the man in their life. Showing that while feelings may just be the same that everything else about it is totally different. That is not a bad thing at all it gives the film a good balance.

Jojo backing out of marrying her boyfriend at the very last second and then wondering if she does actually love him and if she can she herself with him forever. Daisy meeting a rich preppy boy who has been kicked out of college and has a turbulent relationship with his father. Kat playing with fire and getting too close to the father of the girl she is babysitting as a job, even though he claims to have the situation under control. Some of the scenes were difficult when having to deal with jealously and heartbreak, certainly doesn’t paint men in the best picture imaginable.

All of this goes on as they are working in a pizza parlour and have a great relationship with owner and boss Leona who really does look after them and looks out for them at each and every turn. It really gives the film some extra layers as we get drawn into the world they are trying to grow up in. Something which everyone can relate to it some point.

Roberts, Taylor and Gish work together very well and it certainly looks like they would have had a lot of fun making this film. They are given some great scenes together and really make you compare your friendships (or sibling relationships). As they try to support one another, but with anything when your close leads to some fall out when the truth is spoken.

This was Julia Roberts breakthrough film really and I think it is worth a look back at if you have never seen it before, as her on screen charisma is evident in this early outing.  Oh and make sure you watch out for a very young Matt Damon briefly with a couple of lines. I totally forgot he was in it which was a brilliant moment!

If you like you’re coming of age rom-com’s then this is certainly a good film for you to watch!