"La La Land" does not waste any time in setting its tone. Its opening musical number, which shows hundreds of Los Angeles residents dancing around a sea of cars on the freeway, is one of its best. Everything from the vibrant costumes to the over the top, but fun, choreography immediately excites the audience. From this scene on, the spectacle only builds. The film effectively combines actors who are obviously trained singers and dancers, and A-list Hollywood stars who are perfect for the lead roles. Fans of old-fashioned musicals may be underwhelmed by the singing and dancing of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling at times, but if their abilities in these areas were too good to be true, they would fail to be as believable as they are in their roles. Stone and Gosling exhibit excellent chemistry throughout the film, and are the driving force behind the emotional ups and downs of the story. The characters of Mia and Sebastian are brought to screen in a way which has viewers dying to see them finish "happily ever after", but I'll cover that later.
After the success of the psychologically intense "Whiplash", released in 2014, it was generally agreed upon amongst moviegoers that up-and-coming writer and director Damien Chazelle had serious potential. With "La La Land", Chazelle has solidified himself as a full-fledged Hollywood prodigy. From a writing standpoint, the film features affection, humor, and heartbreak. The clash between love and ambition allows audiences to wholeheartedly sympathize with the lead characters, and invest emotionally in the plot. Chazelle's direction is equally impressive. The scenery and locations chosen for the movie's most meaningful scenes establish Los Angeles as the perfect utopia for a love story to unfold in. While the recent success of certain Broadway shows has brought the concept of the musical back into the mainstream, "La La Land" is still an extremely bold undertaking. Had this film been produced in the middle of the 1960's, it might not have stood out as much as it does, but in recent decades traditional, let alone successful, musicals in Hollywood have been few and far between. And for that reason alone, Chazelle deserves an applause. Droves of idealists on the social media circuit have expressed their disappointment with the ending of this film. I however found it refreshingly realistic. We see no anger or animosity between the characters of Mia and Sebastian at the conclusion of the story. The differences that they did have are long settled at this point, and ultimately each of the characters reaches the goals that we see them working toward throughout the film. Mia's final what-could-have-been montage and the characters' appreciative final glances at one another represent the satisfying notion that they both have moved on, but will always appreciate the time they had together. Sure, it may not be the picture perfect outcome that many love stories feed their audiences, but if you want this award season's true dissatisfying conclusion, look no further than "Manchester by the Sea".
There is plenty of singing and dancing, and it is all well done, but "La La Land", above all else, is a gratifying story with enjoyable characters. Chazelle's vision, which took years to bring to screen, results in a truly unique film in the landscape of modern cinema. Few will be surprised when "La La Land" walks away from upcoming award shows with plenty of honors and recognition, and I must say that the acclaim that it has received is deserved. This is the kind of film that could make contemporary musicals a popular trend in Hollywood, but Damien Chazelle has set the bar high for those who follow him.
RATING: 8.5/10
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