La La Land, the third feature film by writer and director Damien Chazelle (Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, Whiplash) is something of a throwback film, a musical romance which harkens back to the golden days of the genre in the mid-20th century. The story follows Seb (Ryan Gosling), a classical jazz pianist whose undying commitment to jazz’s traditional roots leaves him unable to hold a steady job, and Mia (Emma Stone), a struggling young actress with aspirations that go far beyond her job as a barista on the Warner Bros. Their romance is a significant driving point in the first half of the movie, but as the plot progresses forward the focus shifts more toward the two as individual characters as they struggle with the conflict caused by their fading dreams in the rigorous and unforgiving entertainment industry.
While La La Land does not share many similarities with Chazelle’s previous award-winning film Whiplash — which explored the tumultuous relationship between a drummer and his borderline abusive instructor — the director’s intense and upbeat approach to storytelling and pacing, as well as his deeply passionate love for the musical and fine arts, are readily noticeable in both films. The musical numbers, from the opening song “Another Day of Sun,” which featured some incredibly impressive camera work, to Emma Stone’s heartfelt and aching solo, "Audition," near the story’s conclusion, are all well-written and contribute to the movie’s lighthearted and endlessly optimistic tone in the face of great adversity.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, who starred as an on screen couple previously in Crazy Stupid Love, have a palpable and believable chemistry that is necessary in making the movie more than just a collection of catchy songs.Their relationship, speaking purely in terms of the writing, felt just a bit underdeveloped, but was mostly unnoticeable with the two leading roles — never did their "love at first sight" relationship feel even a bit contrived.
As with any film that revolves around Los Angeles and the entertainment industry, La La Land is as much about the setting as it is the story, and that is where cinematographer Linus Sandgren (who previously worked with David O. Russell on American Hustle and Joy) and the rest of the art and costume designers are given a chance to shine. Between several breathtaking shots of the sun setting over the Los Angeles skyline to the creative and bold costumes featured in large variety throughout the film, Chazelle and co. have created a setting that seemingly has a life of its own, not unlike the classic musicals of the 50s to which it pays homage.
For all its endless optimism though, La La Land separates itself from the mindless and unrealistic idealism that typically defines its genre by remaining grounded in the mundane and sometimes harsh realities of everyday life. Moments of quiet affection between the two leads are often interrupted by a phone notification, and Los Angeles — for all its beautiful night skylines — is still a busy metropolis with angry drivers and traffic jams abound. Where the story truly finds its emotionally gripping and even painful core, though, is in its slow and difficult realization that the message of hope and opportunity that is so often attached to this city through pop culture may be more fiction than reality, and that dreams are rarely realized in the flawless way which we envision them.
Damien Chazelle’s La La Land is the exact kind of risk-taking, ambitious and passionate film that today's financially-driven movie industry sorely lacks. It is at times an exuberant and lively experience, and at others it aches with beauty and longs for the greatness it so undoubtedly sees in its characters.
Four and one half stars (out of five).
