Before I begin this review, I have started this new segment called 'Five Star Friday' where I will be discussing and reviewing some of my favourite films, regardless of when they were released. I thought it would be appropriate to start with La La Land, since I saw this at the very beginning of 2017, which is pretty much the last time I spoke on here. On with the review :)
La La Land is written and directed by Damien Chazelle and stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.
Drama/Romance/Musical. Released 2016.
La La Land tells the story of two individuals with big dreams. While trying to build their Los Angeles careers, an actress (Emma Stone) and a jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) fall in love.
The initial concept of this film grabbed me before I had even watched a single trailer. A golden era style film set in modern-day-Hollywood about ambition and big dreams is a quintessential description of a film that was made for me. And yes, almost two years onward, I still feel it was.
The performances given by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in this film are exceptional, demonstrating their ability to ground a film to reality when surrounded by an incredibly idealistic and dream-like scope that embodies the iconic yet unrealistic golden age of Hollywood. Emma Stone's performance is natural and grounded, however a character who dreams of being a Hollywood star could easily have been interpreted in the opposite direction: very cliché and one that certainly would not have got her that Oscar. I am thankful that the introverted Emma Watson didn't ultimately take on the role of Mia, since Stone completely embodied that natural exuberance of the character which I am not sure Watson would have been able to do. Ryan Gosling is more nuanced and subtle than Stone, matching his introverted and quietly passionate character of Sebastian, and I can confidently say that he is pitch perfect casting.
In addition, I appreciate that Damien Chazelle cast individuals with unremarkable vocal ability. Although Gosling and Stone's voices are far from bad, they aren't show-stoppingly spectacular, and I believe this was a conscious decision which further grounds the film back to reality. Although the characters are certainly talented, they are normal people, which is reflected in not only their acting performance but their vocal performance too, giving the film an essence of casualness, moving the film forward in a relaxed manner, allowing it to breathe.
Chazelle's evolving creative fingerprint is smeared all over this wonderfully glorious piece, with subtle nods to the likes of Singin' In The Rain and Casablanca, and once the film ends, you sit there and realise the utter genius of his idea to give audiences a unity of old and new Hollywood, and what he may be trying to portray.
The musical numbers in this film command your attention, whether they be loud and colourful (Another Day Of Sun, Someone In The Crowd) or subtle and elegant (City Of Stars). My favourite musical number - one that I believe is an amalgamation of all of these qualities - is A Lovely Night, a snapshot of which is the poster image of the film as a whole. It captures the archetypal tone of the golden age in regards to the classic Los Angeles landscape and the jazzy song composition, making it a timeless piece and therefore applicable to all audiences.
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A glorious and masterful injection of new life
to the Classics of the Golden Era
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Be swept away if you haven't already :)
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