You often hear people criticize films by saying "They don't make 'em like they used to." Well, I think Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) just filled that void.
La La Land is a musical-comedy-romance-drama about coming to terms with your dreams. It shares DNA with many of the classic Hollywood musicals, specifically Singin' In the Rain and Meet Me In St. Louis. Anyone who has ever been in love, aspired to something great, or felt the pain of defeat should experience a deep connection to this film.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone play aspiring artists; he, a jazz musician named Sebastian who dreams of opening his own club and she, an actress named Mia who dreams of hitting it big. They are drawn to each other by their passion for their respective endeavors. As success begins to mount for them both, ensuing circumstances threaten to tear Seb and Mia apart.
One of the best things about La La Land is that it has its feet planted firmly in nostalgia while also delivering something that feels fresh. By its very nature, La La Land isn't as white-knuckle engaging as Chazelle's prior effort, Whiplash. I think Whiplash is the superior film, but that doesn't mean that La La Land isn't something special. From the opening musical number - "Another Day of Sun," in which commuting Angelinos relieve their road rage by dancing and singing all over a gridlocked freeway - you can tell this movie is going to be something special. The story doesn't boil down to an easy, familiar resolution either. I won't spoil anything, but if you come out of this movie feeling depressed, you need to go back to the box office, buy a ticket to the very next show, and watch the whole thing again. You missed the point.
Stone and Gosling deliver performances that all but secure Oscar nominations, if not wins. They're no Astaire and Rogers; "A Lovely Night" feels like two average people took one dance class and decided to go shoot a big tap-dance number. Having said that, Gosling and Stone's chemistry is as close as Hollywood currently has to those classic duos of yesteryear.
The production design by David Wasco is also quite wonderful. With so many iPhones and Toyota Priuses used by characters throughout the production, (there's a great gag at the valet kiosk when Seb and Mia leave a party in the Hollywood Hills) it's clear that the story takes place in the present day. However the sets and costumes maintain that vintage "Hollywood" feel at the heart of Chazelle's story.
Lastly, I have to mention the incredible original soundtrack by Justin Hurwitz. The marquee tracks "City of Stars" and "Audition" are likely to go neck-and-neck for all the Best Original Song awards this year. "Another Day of Sun" and "Someone In the Crowd" are peppy, toe-tapping ensemble numbers while "A Lovely Night" is reminiscent of classic Broadway duets. "My Time of Day" from Guys & Dolls immediately comes to mind.
You'll have done yourself a disservice if you miss out on La La Land this year. I'm not certain that it's the best film of 2016, but it's up there and is all but assured multiple Oscar wins - including Best Picture.
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