I used to bemoan musicals for being unrealistic. The notion of people randomly breaking into song killed the drama and emotion of a story dead in its tracks for me. Mind you, I was forgiving of the unrealistic stunts in action flicks and supernatural elements of horror films as I accepted them as fictional entertainment that exist in their own world. And yet, I couldn’t do the same for musicals. They had to be grounded despite it not making sense for them to be so. Maybe I was just a curmudgeon who hated joy and was confused by their symbolism. After all, why would those stricken with AIDS sing about it? Be morose, you fools!
My hesitation towards musicals has dwindled over the years. Films such as “Singin’ in the Rain” and “The Sound of Music” have won me over, the former being one of the most beautiful works of art put to screen! My affinity for “South Park” aided my tolerance of the art, as Matt Stone & Trey Parker would sneak in musical numbers from time to time (the “South Park” film & “Team America” being musicals themselves). I’ve slowly been developing a fondness for musicals, with “La La Land” boosting my affection immensely!
“La La Land” is the polar opposite of Damien Chazelle’s last film, “Whiplash,” despite the two dealing with similar subject matters. Both are driven by music and the passion it derives from those who partake in it. Wheras “Whiplash” was about the dangers of perfection, “La La Land” is about the soothing nature of the art. Music has the ability to transport people into fantasy, an alternate reality of pure bliss. It also acts as catharsis, comforting the broken hearted by acting out their sorrows via a melody. This is where the musical aspect comes into play, the song and dance numbers nothing more than mere fantasies being played out on screen. It’s almost as if Chazelle was responding to my younger, obstinate self.
When drivers stuck in traffic exit their cars to perform a dance routine, we are not meant to take it seriously. We know this by the way they conveniently return to their vehicles as traffic begins to move, the one fantasizing the scenario brought back to reality. When two love-struck individuals begin soaring through the Griffith Observatory, they are not physically defying gravity, but merely getting lost in the moment.
The love-struck couple consists of Mia (Emma Stone) & Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), two opposites that attract over their passion for the arts. Mia is an aspiring actress wasting away at a coffee shop nestled on a Hollywood studio lot, whereas Sebastian is a struggling jazz musician. The two are old souls in an ever-changing society, one where optimism and jazz have been left behind. They have various meet cutes that cleverly go awry, such as Mia flipping Sebastian off after being cut off in traffic and her compliment on his performance being ignored following a firing. The two muster up a playful quarrel as the seasons change, eventually morphing into a romance.
At its core, “La La Land” is a simple love story. One in which two people fall in love, inspire one another to chase their dreams, then watch as their relationship crumbles beneath success and failure. It is made palatable by the tremendous chemistry between Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling; chemistry so strong it elevated their rather weak previous outings together, “Crazy Stupid Love” & “Gangster Squad.” They have finally been given a script that matches their marvelous rapport, having Chazelle to thank for that. He respects his characters, the musical numbers complementing their idealism as opposed to suffocating it.
“La La Land” may be a love letter to musicals and classic cinema, but it doesn’t fall victim to the nostalgia. It keenly calls out the dangers of nostalgia, especially in how it addresses Sebastian’s conservatism as detrimental to his growth. The film may open with title cards that harken back to simpler times (including a CinemaScope crawl, something I never expected to see again), but it’s firmly planted in modern times. Just as the nostalgia overcomes the senses of the protagonists, a cell phone notification amusingly whips them back into the present.
It is the heart of the film that is reminiscent of classic storytelling. The musical numbers representing a simpler, more elegant time that didn’t conform to an ADHD society. The exquisite cinematography of Linus Sandgren paints the town in soothing blues and ominous reds, all of which are draped in neon. This is to match the worldview of the protagonists, who utilize music to distract them from the doldrums of life. Where hope is lost in a cruel world, they retreat to music to regain it. The cinematography becomes painfully bland when posited in reality; a shrewd move. But, when in the vibrant fantasy concocted by the protagonists, the film is as vibrant and engaging as the best musicals of yore!
There will be some that are thrown off by the sentimentality, feeling it doesn’t match Chazelle’s fierce style. I for one praise his versatility and still see signs of that fierceness here. The sentimentality is only a reaction from romantics trapped in an otherwise bleak world. One that includes soul-crushing honesty, such as the loss of love and the evisceration of the American dream. Damien takes risk in the ending, leaving it up to the viewer on whether or not it is a happy one (just like with “Whiplash”). To believe the film is without an edge is asinine!
It is that edge that makes the sentimentality so rich! The buoyancy is earned, warming the hearts of even the coldest of souls. The peppy soundtrack is captivating, a wonderful mix of fiery orchestra and melancholic jazz. “City of Stars” & “The Fools Who Dream” are the most pleasant of earworms! The romance between Mia & Sebastian is delightful, infecting the rest of the production! Stone & Gosling should be contractually obligated to do a picture together every few years. The world is owed it.
Just like with “Singin’ in the Rain,” “La La Land” has proven to me just how powerful musicals can be! They flawlessly exhibit the power music has over a person with style and verve! There was not a moment in this film that I didn’t adore. This was as blissful as a film can get, all the while never drowning in saccharine. Another masterpiece from Damien Chazelle!
Final Rating: A+