La La Land

For my first movie review I pick...a musical? A little strange for a guy I suppose, but do I ever love this movie! This is probably my favorite released movie since the Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King, and deserves every accolade it got last year, and more.

La La Land is a deeply serious homage to a very silly, shallow, and important town, and the dreamers who live in it. It begins in the style of classic musicals, with a huge show stopping showtune (an enormous song and dance routine on a highway in Los Angeles). The trappings of the musical are all there. You have the couple who don't like each other at first, yet warm up over time. You have the dream which they are pursuing which seemingly can't be achieved. You have the lip synced, rather than live sung vocals. You have the adorable one on one song and dance routine with the leads (A Lovely Night). The guy and girl get together. They go on a fantastic date in which they fly together. Then tragedy strikes, they overcome it, and live happily ever after. Right?

*SPOILER ALERT*

If you have not yet seen this movie, please stop reading here, go watch it. Maybe twice. And then return.

*END SPOILER ALERT*

WRONG. The middle of the movie represents a stark change in stylistic approach, and heralds the bittersweet ending of the film. The pivotal scene in the movie is not, like you might expect, the scene in which Mia and Seb have their first fight. Nor is it Mia's heartrending performance in Audition (which we'll get to). The pivotal scene in the film is a simple one in which Mia and Seb sit quietly at a piano, singing City of Stars. This scene is important because it shows the stark stylistic change in the film. No longer are our stars lip syncing with perfect vocals behind them. They are singing live. And they are singing together. Previously only characters, they have now achieved a remarkable humanity that makes them identifiable. Gosling's voice is fine, but noticeably pitchy at time. This is because he is an everyman, and one whom we can identify with. He's down on his luck, but he's loved, and he has someone to support his silly dream.

Every other important scene builds on this one, to hammer home the lesson that only cartoon characters can survive intact in a town like LA. And thank God that we have real people who are able to put up with the endless rejection, the brokenness of their relationships (how many Hollywood types have only been married once?), and the self-deprecation necessary to make it in the business? These are the questions that La La Land asks, and it presents a more realistic picture than your typical movie.

Greatness generally requires sacrifice. And many try and fail without ever achieving it. Singing a song about her aunt, her inspiration to become an actor, Mia coherently summarizes the core of the film's message in Audition:

So bring on the rebels

The ripples from pebbles

The painters, and poets, and plays

And here's to the fools who dream

Crazy as they may seem

Here's to the hearts that break

Here's to the mess we make

The ending of La La Land is bittersweet because bittersweet is all that an LA person can hope for. But that passion and drive to bring beauty to the masses benefits us all, and so an homage to them is fitting. Indeed, a movie as great as La La Land could only be made by such a town, and such fools. So here's to the fools who dream, and the city in which they live!

-TRO