REVIEW #215 La La Land (2016)

La La Land follows two characters with a dream of making it in La. Mia, an aspiring actress and Sebastian a talented Pianist and Jazz enthusiast. But just as they’re dreams start to appear within reach, they find themselves torn between their love for each and their careers.

La La Land is ultimately an authentic exploration into the concept of love, the idea that you want what’s absolutely best for that person, even if that best possible outcome doesn’t necessarily involve you. Meanwhile it also touches upon the cruel world of Hollywood and ‘La La land’ both from the typical actors perspective but also an aspiring musician. Going in I always expected a high quality film, after all the director Damien Chazelle was at the helm for the masterpiece that is Whiplash. But I thought that might actually hinder my experience, a high bar set that maybe the film couldn’t live up to? Fortunately this was not the case, I was captivated by the story and the concept of these two amazing characters. Sebastian in particular, a man so passionate about traditional Jazz, with a burning desire to keep the genre alive. There is a specific scene where Mia tells him she hates Jazz and he goes into a passionate, yet considerate rant and I found that moment incredibly relatable. I am the exact same when discussing my passions! The story itself is frustratingly good, I phrase it that way because the ending is incredibly frustrating but it’s so good that you have no choice to give the highest possible respect towards it. Sebastian and Mia don’t end up together and it absolutely killed me, they even had the cheek to give us a full glimpse at what their life could have been like together had things been slightly different, the final kick in the emotional gut so to speak… However after some contemplation it’s impossible not to understand the choice Chazelle made, it’s true love in its most pure form. The final look between two people who know that they have both achieved their dreams and are truly happy, no words spoken, just a simple glare to acknowledge each other. A great ending that breaks away from the predictable conclusions that many of its predecessor romance films had before it. 

It’s about time I mentioned the musical aspect of the film, after all it’s very much a musical too. The song lyrics aren’t your typical musical numbers that you’ll find in a Pixar musical or in the top 40, the dialogue is simply constructed into a delicate melody that breaks down the protagonists scenario for the audience, providing them with the characters inner most thoughts. The songs did suit the film perfectly but what I will say is that they weren’t very memorable in terms of being catchy. That’s a good thing in terms of avoiding the possibility of the film becoming cheesy but it also means someone would have to watch the film at least a few times to even remember one of the tracks, or they could even just become pretty forgettable altogether, at least in my opinion. Nonetheless, it worked and it contributed to the story very well, especially with the smooth dance choreography which was executed brilliantly by the entire cast. The only sequence I disliked was the opening one on the motorway, I know it was meant to set the tone but I didn’t really think it was necessary and it didn’t contribute anything to the story. The cinematography was amazing, the lighting and the choice of colour really brought the scenes to life. The beautiful pink and purple tones really reflected the genre and combined with the seasonal storytelling which reflected the state of Seb’s and Mia’s relationship, meant the film become very representational, which I really enjoyed. The use of spotlights was employed perfectly and was a nice way to shift focus between the two main characters, again representing that they were only really focusing on each other. A wide variety of camera shots were used to capture the pair and each one had so much meaning! Whether they were walking in opposite directions from the jazz club, illustrated by a distant wide angle shot, symbolising at that point, a forbidden love. Or a simple close up angle, with two people happy and content, finally together. To sum everything up, La La land was an incredibly enjoyable film, helmed by two amazing actors in Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and an amazing director too. Don’t be like me and leave it way to long to watch it, get to it as soon as possible! 

Overall (9/10)

Thanks for reading.

Callan