Release Year: 2016
Director: Damien Chazelle*
Runtime: 128 min
There is nothing like the breaking of expectations, the humility of someone or something’s shattering of what you had thought to be true of them. Virtually everyone had told me upon its release that La La Land was this must-see spectacle of a modern film, and from how widespread the acclaim was, I wanted nothing to do with it. Now that the buzz has long since dissipated, I had the privilege of watching it some weeks ago not only to appreciate its artistic quality but also to witness a complete overturning of expectations.
The movie is gripping from the opening minutes, immediately diving into “Another Day of Sun,” to let the viewer know the exact type of movie they are watching. I really appreciated this because I would not have liked a dramatic or comedic opening that establishes a musical too far into one of those directions from the start. After the masterful choreography and vocal talent across the scene, the film’s moments of humor and drama are way more impactful when they do not feel like its driving force. Also surprisingly captivating was the dynamic between Ryan Gosling’s Sebastian and Emma Stone’s Mia. They were extremely believable and struck a perfect balance between flirtation and animosity. As an effort to make a musical that felt modern and realistic, they did a wonderful job.
Without spoiling the ending, this was also one of the movie’s best features. It reaffirmed the realism and revealed the movie’s more thoughtful implications. The cinematography was also very admirable and vibrant. No blatant flaws were actually present in this movie, by my standards, except sometimes that its self-awareness caved in with ever so slightly pretentious “deep” moments that felt out of place with the grounded nature of the rest of the movie.
La La Land is well-acted, well-directed, and well-performed, and it has the ability to keep the viewer’s attention with actual artistry rather than ploys and gimmicks. The fact this film does not veer too drastically into a complex story or overly complex characters means one can focus on the creative expressions of normal life in a simply enjoyable way. In this way, less is truthfully proven to be more.
*one of my favorite directors
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