Review: La La Land, One for the dreamers...

Few films give me the sensation of enjoying them so much the first time around that I instantly want, or in this case need, to re-watch it the very next day. La La Land is one of these films. Combining the show stopping performances from Emma Stone (Mia) and Ryan Gosling (Sebastian), Damien Chazelle’s visionary directing and an unforgettable soundtrack results in creating a film that has had me singing about its praises, literally.

Mia, a barista working on the Warner Bros. film lot desires to fulfil her childhood dreams of becoming a Hollywood actress, whilst Sebastian dreams of opening his own Jazz club so that he can save the genre from death. After a few chance meetings, and witnessing the jaw dropping piano skills of Sebastian, the two fall in love and make it each other’s job to make sure they go about following their dreams. The love the two share are embodied in the passion they have for their dreams, as this is the key theme throughout the film. Its key theme is that if you are passionate about your dream, willing to take a leap of faith to display your passion and finally present your dream to the world, the world will reward you.

At the films heart is the music. Justin Hurwitz’s original soundtrack made me want to get up and dance as soon as the opening number began. His music shifts from the most rapid tempo into the slowest possible tempo to capture the feeling of the moment. The entire cast could be prancing and swaying to their hearts content and then at a moment’s notice, it cuts to a piano or trumpet solo that reaffirms your attention, keeping your attention on what is happening at all times. Not only does the music put a smile on my face, but the setting of LA enhances this further as we are introduced to the city as the locals would have us see it because La La Land, as a title, has a double meaning behind it. To be in La La Land is to be in a state of euphoria or a dreamlike state. The locals of Los Angeles have come to name their city ‘La La Land’ and this is where Hurwitz’s composition has struck gold as each song, combined with Stone’s and Gosling’s musical performances, creates a sense of euphoria not only for the characters, but the audience as well.

Although, it would not be a film about securing dreams in Los Angeles without a couple of dreamers. Gosling and Stone’s performances are both Oscar worthy. Their acting experience is brought together with the musical traits of singing, dancing and not forgetting Ryan Gosling learned to play the piano exclusively for this film. This generates a cinema experience of all rounded talent that shows with work and practise, anyone should be able to make it in the industry of entertainment. Where La La Land receives some criticism in the ways in which the characters are far too basic to make it in music and show business, Mia states within the film that “people want to see what other people are passionate about” and that is why she and Sebastian thrive in LA as there is passion thrust into every single audition, musical performance and dramatic encounter. Chazelle’s writing and direction of the film places Mia and Sebastian in the most scenic locations Los Angeles has to offer, most notably the Griffith Observatory. He uses nothing but the soundtrack during the set piece, ever so simply entitled ‘Planetarium’, beautiful special effects to show our character’s dancing among the stars, signifying how strong the love they share is.

Do not expect a traditional romantic ending however, as where this film’s premise is based on taking risks to live out your dreams, this film loves to remind you that life isn’t a fairy tale. Reality is still very much in play and where the whole plot of La La Land may seem far-fetched, all that has transpired for Mia and Sebastian has been in the bounds of life as we know it. Where it feels painful watching the ending, it still retains a form of beauty around it as both characters become conscious of how each other have accomplished their dream thus concluding their stories in a perfect way.

La La Land is a near prefect film that ticks all the boxes of a traditional musical as well as adding a few boxes for future musicals to tick. With a fantastic script, an unforgettable soundtrack, a beautiful setting and brilliant performances, La La Land is the new gold standard for films and deserves to win every single award it is nominated for.

9.5/10