Why Limited Screen Time Shouldn’t Prevent Bradley Cooper From Being an Oscar Frontrunner for ‘Licorice Pizza’

Paul Thomas Anderson is the rare filmmaker who doesn’t just make movies – he makes events. People eagerly anticipate his next project. They make a point to see it in the theater as soon as possible. They even haul themselves out to Westwood Village for a screening. And for most people, it seems Anderson’s latest, “Licorice Pizza,” was worth the trip.Of the many elements of the film that are praised – the story, direction, cast, aesthetic – there seems to be a general consensus that the performance of Bradley Cooper as Barbra Streisand’s paramour/future-superproducer Jon Peters is a major highlight. Not just of the film, but of the entire film-going year. And yet, mention him as a potential contender in the best supporting actor Oscar race and the response is frequently the same: “He’s not in it enough.”So what is “enough?” In a business where the...