Review #43 | "La La Land" (2016)

Fresh subject, yet a super throwback! "La La Land" prides itself on it's traditional editing methods and motifs which continuously immerse the audience in old Hollywood excitement and possibility. Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress from Nevada who goes through the day to day grind of audition and rejection. She loves classic Hollywood films and keeps her hopes up at her day job at a coffee shop on the Paramount Studios lot. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) hasn't had a very good go of it either. He is a jazz pianist who dreams of opening his own traditional jazz lounge. When the two meet, their individual passions come together in an epic romance that pushes each of them to their personal and professional limits.

Written and directed by Damien Chazelle ("Whiplash"), "La La Land's" main theme is an inspiring yet reality driven message of the hardships in achieving your dreams. Anyone in the arts knows how hard that can be. Although Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling make an amazing pair onscreen ("Crazy, Stupid, Love", "Gangster Squad"), it seems comical that "La La Land" should cast major stars in lead roles in a story about the reality of "making it" in show business. Nevertheless, Stone and Gosling are dazzling in "La La Land;" with their talents as the multi talented Damien Chazelle it is no wonder why Oscar buzz is already orbiting this project. Although casting "discoveries" would create a well rounded project, the studio was right to cast movie stars in these roles knowing they had something special that could go on to receive Academy accolades.

However, this is not a perfect film. Marketed as a musical, two thirds of the way through the film there is a hiatus of all song and dance numbers. Although this may be a reflection of the conflict, an inclusive musical gives happy and sad their own spotlight. The story is entrancing and for a two hour and eight minute movie it feels more like three. The fact that the length is noticeable is not such a perk: the film begins with an out-of-place musical number of extras on the highway which can't even be understood (and not that much easier to understand on the soundtrack either). The epilogue features an instrumental "what-could-have-been" melody that just goes on for too long no matter how pretty it is - clean up the beginning and the ending and the pace would feel much smoother.

None of this critique is to say that "La La Land" is not an entertaining and thought provoking piece of art. It is one of the most original and entertaining films I have seen in a while. The soundtrack is also a good surrogate to nurture all of the excess feelings you carry home from the theatre.

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Rated "PG-13". Runs 2 hours 8 minutes.

Directed by Damian Chazelle. Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.