La La Land-2016

Director-Damien Chazelle

Starring Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling

Scott’s Review #538

Reviewed December 6, 2016

Grade: A

La La Land breathes new life into the classic musical genre of the 1950s, with a fresh glimpse into the world of Hollywood.

The film explores the glitz and the glamour, the triumphs and heartbreaks, and the dreams both broken and fulfilled in a town laden with broken hearts.

The bright and colorful film stars two of today’s top young talented stars- Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. The chemistry between the leads and the dynamic musical numbers is wonderful to experience.

A masterful nod to old Hollywood.

Mia (Stone) is an aspiring young actress, struggling to survive the Hollywood scene by serving lattes in a coffee shop on a studio lot. She auditions endlessly for film and television parts, without much luck. Her passion is acting, but she also writes a one-woman play that she plans to star in.

Sebastian, on the other hand, is a dedicated jazz musician, struggling to make ends meet by playing demoralizing gigs that ruin the essence of jazz, meeting many people who tell him that jazz is a dying genre. Sebastian’s dream is to one day open his nightclub.

Through circumstances, Mia and Sebastian meet and continue to run into each other, forging a wonderful friendship, eventually leading to romance.

The film is a gorgeous experience with bright sets, creative sequences, and numerous song and dance numbers to keep you humming along- Mia and Sebastian even tap-dance one beautiful night following a Hollywood party, under the moonlight with the Los Angeles skyline in view, as they begin to bond with one another. It is one of the best scenes in the film.

La La Land is seasonal and begins in the winter- though this is strictly an attempt to separate the chapters- Los Angeles is always warm, but the timing is Christmas- interesting in itself to see in a warm climate.

During the first scene, we are immediately treated to a musical number- stuck in stifling freeway traffic, the drivers of the cars all get out in unison, sing and dance, and then proceed to get back into their cars and continue their ho-hum day.

Director, Damien Chazelle cleverly balances the cheerful tone with the everyday redundant tasks and the struggles of artists hoping for a dream.

La La Land excels during the scenes of Sebastian and Mia as the chemistry is palpable. Gosling and Stone have something. Supporting players such as J.K. Simmons and Rosemarie Dewitt add pizzazz in their small, but meaningful parts.

I adore the odes to classic Hollywood films that director Chazelle incorporates into his film.

Classics such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious are referenced and the legendary film, Casablanca is referenced twice.

Additionally, during a sweet moment, Sebastian takes Mia to see Rebel Without a Cause at an old-style theater, as he is shocked that she has never seen the film, and eagerly excited to introduce her to it-this continues as he shares his love for jazz music with her.

Later, the theater closes as the film takes a more dour tone as the struggles of both characters overwhelm them.

The film’s finale is amazing.

Suddenly, it is five years later and many events have happened. In a brilliant sequence, the lives of the characters are explained through a song as we see the period play out until we reach the point of the film where the song began- a treasure of an ode to the truth of the characters.

The sequence is emotional, heartbreaking, and choreographed without missing a beat,

Gosling and Stone sing all of their songs- not live as was the case with Les Miserables, but wisely on a sound stage- they are neither novices nor Grammy winners, but they are real and truthful and with heart.

How refreshing to see classic Hollywood told in such a riveting fashion, as seen through the eyes of the young. Films and styles of decades past are renewed through this wonderful piece of film.

I noted similarities to An American in Paris and countless other gems from years ago and stood proudly with the knowledge that a nostalgic piece of cinema is exactly what we need.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director-Damien Chazelle (won), Best Actor-Ryan Gosling, Best Actress-Emma Stone (won), Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score (won), Best Original Song-“City of Stars” (won), “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)”, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design (won), Best Cinematography (won), Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing