"La La Land" Review

Title: La La Land

Directed by: Damien Chazelle

Written by: Damien Chazelle

Year: 2016


Damien Chazelle's Whiplash is an extraordinary film and my pick for the second best movie of 2014 (behind Birdman). His passion for music was clearly present in that film, and seems to reappear in his sophomore directorial entry. Does La La Land hit all the right notes, or is it lost in its own world?

Aspiring Hollywood actress Mia meets aspiring jazz pianist Sebastian. The two hit it off really well and explore each other's passions. However, as the two begin to fall in love, they find out that making it in the City of Stars is more difficult than they anticipated.

Emma Stone has established herself as a world-class actress, and the full scope of her talent is brought out in this movie. She excels in evocative roles, and so the character of Mia serves Stone's strengths. She is allowed to fully run the gamut of emotions to astounding effect. Stone also proves to be a fabulous singer and dancer. Her high-pitched yet soft voice is borderline angelic, yielding wonderful results. Ryan Gosling floored me with his outing in The Nice Guys earlier this year, and he managed to stun me once again in this film. Gosling has quickly become one of my favorite actors working today, and his performance in La La Land confirmed it. He has a tremendous amount of charisma and gravitas about him that translates well to the big screen. His singing capabilities are pretty darn good and he has impeccable comedic timing.

La La Land marks Gosling and Stone's third collaboration with each other. The two have a spellbinding chemistry that radiates off the screen gorgeously. The lively relationship between their respective characters is nothing short of charming, which makes the film all the more enthralling. Gosling and Stone are looking at some serious award consideration for their ardent performances. They both give it their all and fully commit to the film.

Although La La Land rises on the strength of its protagonists and performances, it has so much more to offer than just that. Whiplash was a showcase of passion and determination, and the same can be said about Chazelle's latest. The story is about two people who are vehement about their art and searching for success in an unforgiving business. Mia knows all about Hollywood, with classic movie posters adorning her room and a wealth of knowledge about all the old films. Sebastian knows everything there is about jazz, which is illustrated incredibly when he gives Mia a play-by-play of a jazz performance. Watching these two chase their dreams while also falling in love is indescribably pleasing.

Mia and Sebastian's romance brings them the happiness that they have been lacking, which is so wonderful to watch. Whenever one of them fails to reach their goal, the other is always there for support. This relationship stands upon a foundation of mutual respect and the adoration of fanaticism. The entire film hinges on the development of this romance, and it is difficult not to become fully invested in it. You grow to love the characters and sympathize with their struggles. But what works best about this romance is how they throw themselves into each other's passion. Mia wants to learn about jazz and understand it the way Sebastian does. In concordance, Sebastian admires Mia's love for film and acting, even taking her to the planetarium featured in Rebel Without a Cause.

La La Land is presented as a love letter to classic Hollywood. Though it is set in modern times, the film is brimming with references and nods to old films and traditional American filmmaking techniques. This is evident from the very opening of the film, which is a title card that states the movie was filmed in CinemaScope. CinemaScope was a specific lens used primarily during the 1950s to shoot films in wide screen and present them as massive spectacles (like musicals). As a result, La La Land looks fantastic, with the widescreen approach contributing to the vibe of the picture. The musical segments look especially great, with grand sweeping shots and all of them seemingly done in one-take, which is a callback to the musicals of old.

The movie is oozing with references to Hollywood paradigms such as The Black Cat, The Wizard of Oz, and Casablanca. There are old movie posters that decorate the backgrounds of many sets, mentions of American favorites, and even the ending title card screams Golden Age Hollywood. In addition, some of the story elements mirror cinematic classics. The two main characters do not like each other at first, but slowly warm up to one another, which is reminiscent of the relationship between Don and Kathy in Singin' in the Rain. In fact, most of the inspiration for La La Land comes from Singin' in the Rain. A lot of the musical sequences bear resemblances to those of the 1952 film, with the Epilogue being a parallel of the Broadway Melody Ballet, for instance. Gosling even swings from a lamppost in a similar fashion to what Gene Kelly did while singing the titular song of the darling musical.

Damien Chazelle is rapidly turning into one of the strongest forces in the industry. Whiplash, his first feature-length film, was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards (along with a few other awards), which is damned impressive. La La Land is another triumph for the young director. Chazelle has undeniable talent, and it would seem his passion for music is as large as his love for film, particularly jazz. His idea to film this like a 1950s production, going even so far as implementing an anamorphic lens that has not been used since 1963, was an inspired choice. Chazelle's vision of Los Angeles is highly romantic, as he makes it look like the most colorful and beautiful place on the planet. But what really shocked me was how he filmed the indoor musical sequences. The sets are constructed in such a way that they are believable but also serve for free movement of the camera. This allows for stunning long takes and fluid cinematography, the likes of which I have rarely seen.

I think I have danced around the topic long enough, so it comes time to discuss the musical aspect of the picture. We have not had a musical of this kind for quite some time now. La La Land shows us why this genre needs to continue; it brings us happiness. The song-and-dance sequences are all spectacular. The film opens with a cheerful song on the highway that immediately sets up the location, the tone, the style of music we will be hearing, and the genre masterfully. The choreography is outstanding and the music is extremely delightful. Some of the dances take inspiration from Busby Berkley's style, which came to prominence in the 1930s with films like The Gold Diggers of 1933. Berkley was known for choreographing musical numbers where the space expanded beyond its boundaries within the diegesis. For instance, a small stage would somehow become much larger and feature huge set pieces and props, and at the end of the song would become a small stage once more. This is most obvious with the scene at the planetarium, where Mia and Sebastian begin dancing in space.

The dance sequences are splendidly filmed, dripping with style and elegance. The opening number takes place on a Los Angeles highway, which is not very pretty, but the song makes the dull environment come to life with a perfectly executed dance to go with it. I also love the commentary presented in the scene. There is a tracking shot that shows us all the music being listened to in each car. The songs all sound the same and the simplicity of the camera emphasizes how mundane and repetitive music has become. Then suddenly, someone bursts out singing, freeing themselves of the monotonous tunes. But the best dances are most likely the abstract ones. The Planetarium and Epilogue sequences are mesmerizing, with a vast array of colors and sweeping music, coupled with an immense amount of creativity. The way the settings ebb and flow and change and transition is absolutely alluring.

The music itself is rooted deeply in jazz. The unpredictable genre is exceedingly suitable for the film, with each of the tracks being a standout. The lyrical songs are all fabulous. I still cannot decide on a favorite. "Another Day of Sun" and "Someone in the Crowd" are incredibly gleeful and catchy, able to put a smile on anyone's face. "A Lovely Night" and "City of Stars" are the sublime duets that illustrate the characters supremely. And "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)" is so tragically performed but conveys such a sensational message, and the blend of these two approaches results in a heartbreaking yet heartwarming ballad that defines the movie accurately.

There appears to be a common theme present in both of Chazelle's films; you should always maintain passion for your art, no matter what others might say. This movie has a remarkable quote on the subject. "People love what people are passionate about." This is very true and will resonate with many viewers, myself included. La La Land is flat-out terrific. Gosling and Stone are at their best; the story is consistently engaging; the emotional core grips you; the old-fashioned style gives the movie a unique feel; and the musical numbers are all glorious. The bittersweet ending is also the perfect note to end on. On the one hand, the audience is given what they want so they will be happy. But on the other, they are deprived of something, which will allow this film to marinate in their minds and sit in their memory longer. Even the title is perfect, referring both to Los Angeles and the world the main characters get lost in as the romance between them grows. Chazelle is proving to be more than a director; he is the auteur of his projects. La La Land resurrects the classic musical with style and class. Everyone should go and see this magnificent motion picture.

Grade: A+