LA LA LAND REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

If I could sum up director Damien Chazelle's latest film, La La Land, in one word, it would be 'wow'. 

Chazelle's previous film, Whiplash, was released in 2014 and was nominated for a total of five Academy Awards including 'Best Motion Picture' and 'Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay'. J.K. Simmons was the winner of the 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role'. Safe to say, after Whiplash's success, there were high expectations for his next film which is a original musical that he first wrote in 2010 during a period in his life when the movie industry seemed out of reach for him. Unfortunately, creating a musical into a feature film was easier said than done so Chazelle focused on Whiplash. After Whiplash's success, he became 100% committed to creating his first musical. With Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as the two leads, is La La Land just as successful as Whiplash?

La La Land tells the story of Mia (Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking hearts. With modern day Los Angeles as the backdrop, this musical about everyday life explores what is more important: a once-in-a-lifetime love or the spotlight.

In answer to my earlier question, yes, La La Land is just as successful as Whiplash, maybe even more, in terms of storytelling, acting and creating an engaging motion picture. In its 128 runtime, La La Land never fails to be anything other than fresh, fun and a true cinematic masterpiece. 

In my 19 years, I've only seen a few musicals in cinemas including Hairspray in 2007, Mamma Mia! in 2008, Les Miserables in 2012 and Into The Woods in 2015. Three of those films are based on either West End or Broadway musicals and are strong adaptations. However, despite being very good films, I have to say that La La Land is the best musical I've ever watched on the big screen.

Of course, to create a successful musical, you need songs that'll audiences will be singing as they leave the theatre. The majority of songs are written by Pasek and Paul (real names Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) and, fortunately, the two have succeeded in writing songs that are perfect for Chazelle's musical. The opening song, Another Day Of Sun, is sung by a group of people who, after being stuck in a traffic jam, all leave their cars and dance. This is one of the best opening sequences I've seen in any movie as the camera doesn't cut and flourishes between the dancers. It's an optimistic song about unfulfilled dreams and a great way to open the film. The two other stand out songs are City Of Stars which is sung by Gosling and Audition (The Fools Who Dream) which is sung by Stone. Both are moving songs sung with honest emotion by the two leads. 

Speaking of which, the two leads are one of the best things about this film other than the songs. The film focused on Mia and Sebastian who, after meeting in the winter and then again in the spring, develop feelings for each other. Chazelle originally thought of Miles Teller (who was the lead in Whiplash) and Emma Watson for the roles, unfortunately, Watson couldn't commit due to scheduling issues she had with the live-action adaptation of Beauty And The Beast and Teller was dropped in favour of Gosling. Stone was later cast and Chazelle stated that the two were the closest thing 'that we have right now to an old Hollywood couple'. Coincidentally, this is the third film Gosling and Stone have worked together after appearing as love interests in the 2011 romantic comedy, Crazy, Stupid, Love and in the 2013 thriller, Gangster Squad. After watching Crazy, Stupid, Love, I knew that both Stone and Gosling were the perfect choice for Mia and Sebastian. Stone has come a long way since appearing in her 2010 breakthrough comedy, Easy A, which got Emma her first Golden Globe nomination. She was nominated for her first Academy Award for her role as Sam in Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) in 2015. This role further proves why she's one of the most talented actresses working today. Gosling has also come a long way since appearing in romantic drama, The Notebook, in 2004 and has been nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Half Nelson in 2007. Because Sebastian is a jazz pianist, Gosling practiced playing the piano and the end result is really impressive.

At time of writing this, La La Land has won seven awards at the Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical, two Best Performances awards for both Gosling and Stone and Best Director for Chazelle. Because of its seven wins, La La Land broke the record for most Golden Globes nominated for one film. It's an incredible achievement and another reason why this film is worth watching.

This is one of those films that, not only gives its viewer an optimistic outlook, but inspires them to follow their dream. John Legend makes an appearance in the film as Sebastian's friend, Keith, and his piece of dialogue where he speaks to Sebastian about being a revolutionary will provoke thoughts in many viewer's minds.

Overall, with Damien Chazelle's thrillingly assured direction and powerful performances from both Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, La La Land is an unmissable cinematic masterpiece that'll leave you feeling uplifted and wanting to follow your dreams.

9/10