La La Land Review

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, J.K. Simmons

By now, you've probably heard of all the praise for La La Land. It's been called the "Best Movie of the Year", "Best Musical of All Time", "Academy Award Front-Runner", etc. A week ago, La La Land won a record SEVEN Golden Globes, winning in every single category that it was nominated for. It's been a box-office machine, becoming a massive hit for the indie market, and it's rapidly expanding. It has been on my radar for months as the "leader of the pack" when it comes to all awards predictions. When I entered the theater, I was anxious to see the masterpiece I had been promised. The lights dimmed and the movie began. La La Land opens on a traffic jam on a highway into Los Angeles. Everyone is listening to their own music and in their own world, until one by one, they exit their vehicles and join one another in a new song. The brilliant opening set to the feel-good anthem "Another Day of Sun" sees people of all colors and all backgrounds sharing their stories and their optimism for the city that they're about to enter. In this time of year, tensions are high and there is so much hate filling our country. It seems that every day there is a disappointing headline or stories full of hate and anger. Seeing an opening so full of spirit and fun instantly put a smile on my face. And that is without mentioning the incredible direction and choreography that make it one of the greatest opening scenes I've seen in my life. People literally clapped as the opening concluded, and how often does that happen? La La Land transports the viewer to a musical land in which we can all escape for a few hours. Yet it still possesses realism. You cheer with the main characters when they succeed and feel their pain when they cry. You feel the optimism and hopelessness as they do. La La Land is a true cinematic experience, and one that feels both fresh and nostalgic, and one that touches the heart.

There are really only two characters in La La Land. There is Mia, played by Emma Stone, and Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling. Both of them are outstanding and have an irresistible chemistry. Mia is an aspiring actress struggling through seemingly hopeless auditions. Sebastian dreams of opening his own club where he can keep traditional jazz music alive. They meet in the opening scene and continue to find each other throughout the first half of the film. They share a kiss and soon fall in love. Gosling brings so much charm to Sebastian that it's no wonder why Mia fell for him. In contrast, Stone brings stability to her performance. Mia is the rock, she's the one who has the rhyme and reason, while Sebastian has these grand ideas for both of them. As the movie progresses, we see where both of them are flawed. Mia's constant reasoning causes her to be cynical. She doesn't have the spontaneity of an artist. When she has opportunities right in front of her, she lacks any faith in herself. Sebastian's dream of playing music turns him into a corporate sellout, and causes him to lose sight of what he really wants to do with his life. It takes Mia to set him on track, and it his urging to get her to let loose. I won't spoil the ending, but what happens between these two is one of the most realistic depictions of "love at first sight" and romance in general. La La Land may feel like a fairy-tale sometimes, but it doesn't hesitate to show you that love and heartbreak are two sides of the same coin, and that happiness isn't always shared with who we expect.

Every song is incredible. Upon listening to the soundtrack, I learned that the songs themselves are amazing, but when paired with the powerfully directed visuals, they're something much more. Each song has its own special technique to separate it from the others. In "Someone in the Crowd", Mia wanders through a party, where all the guests are frozen in place until suddenly, on cue, everyone breaks out in dance. "City of Stars" sees Mia and Sebastian just sitting at a piano in a reserved manner not seen in the other numbers. "A Lovely Night" has Mia and Sebastian bickering and mocking each other, and gradually moving into a stunning tap routine. It seems ripped out of Singin' in the Rain, yet also feels authentic. The costumes are gorgeous and show a progression in the characters. In the beginning, Mia wears bright colors to signify her concern with fame. Her actress friends stay in these bright colors throughout the film, while Mia's clothing becomes less extravagant. As the film progresses she learns to be herself and doesn't care about her appearance. As she does her final audition, she is only wearing a simple white top and black pants, a stark contrast to the vibrant dresses she and her friends wore at the party. The sets always seem to blend with the costumes, and the two work in symbiosis. The costumes accentuate the sets and the sets accentuate the costumes. There is a breathtaking scene in which Mia and Sebastian ascend into the stars, while really they're just dancing in the planetarium. This is not the only time that the film bends reality and imagination, but the trick never comes off as cheesy. The ways in which it makes imagination seem realistic is beautiful and poetic. It has the magic and whimsy of a dream, yet stays grounded in reality.

La La Land is a phenomenal movie. Every single facet of the film is brilliantly executed. It has the striking ability to make you feel both hopeful and nostalgic. I'm nineteen years old, and yet I felt twinges of nostalgia towards times I haven't even lived in. I felt the film pulling me towards that light and the wonder of a simpler time. However, sometimes in the same musical number, I was pulled in the opposite direction. The optimism was pouring out of the screen and I felt hope. My toe was tapping and I thought: "What if the future could be this happy?" La La Land has the profound capacity to make people of all ages feel something, whether its from the past or towards the future. And along with the music numbers, the dialogue and story share the same levels of depth. I've seen La La Land twice and I'm convinced it's a movie that everyone should see. Whether or not you fully appreciate the art you're witnessing, I still urge you to see this film. We all have our own problems, and we all have our own stories. Let's just revel in a film about life, love, and the pursuit of dreams.

Rating: