Scatterbrain

La La Land

12/22/22

I abhor movie musicals – always have. I adore both music and cinema but have always viewed their union as a bastardized disgrace to both arts. The dialog of musicals is too often lacking; probably because they have a monstrous habit of communicating their most intimate messages solely through song. Time after time, I’ve tried my utmost to appreciate musicals. From oldies such as The Sound of Music to modern classics like Les Mis, I watched and listened… and disliked. I always felt they were better suited for the stage and film was simply a poorer medium by comparison for the genre.

La La Land was a movie recommended to me by several friends, all of whom knew my opinion of musicals. I put off watching the film for as long as I could (about 6 years I suppose) before I finally caved. All along, I knew I would end up watching it at some point. The director (Damien Chazelle) wrote and directed one of my favorite movies of all time, Whiplash. If for no other reason than respect to his creative talents, I told myself I would view La La Land.

Et sic feci. And, to my surprise, I enjoyed it. No, honestly, I adored it. Here’s why:

#1. The acting is superb. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling had fantastic chemistry throughout the film. Ever since I watched Birdman, I thought Stone was an underrated actress who was capable of far more sophisticated roles than the ones she was typically cast. Gosling as well – Drive and Blade Runner 2049 both showcased his ideal character: laid back, soft spoken, and charming in an almost elegant way. Emma playing an aspiring actress and Gosling a subtly passionate pianist felt… right. As for the musical side of their roles, their voices weren’t half bad either, which came as a surprise to me. Their duet, “City of Stars”, was touching and warm. I loved the production as well; the song sounded as though it was recorded in a broom closet, adding to the intimacy of the scene. Every little breath and laugh were captured for the viewers’ enjoyment.

#2. To my delight, the song and dance numbers aided the story but didn’t control it. The two most emotional parts of the movie (the breakup and reunion) are both delivered through dialog and cinematographic sequences of shots, not song. These key scenes effectively deliver their messages unabraded by unnecessary choruses and melodies. On the other hand, the songs are catchy, playful, and propel the story from scene to scene. “A Lovely Night” might be my favorite example – the track enables the movie to skip over the typical “falling in love” portion of the tale by merely displaying Seb and Mia’s obvious attraction for each other for the entire audience to behold.

#3. Unsurprisingly given Chazelle’s past work, the cinematography is a wonderfully fresh take on classic Hollywood technique. The opening sequence of “Another Day of Sun” shot on the bridge between I-105 and 110 is inarguably a masterpiece. Chazelle worked magic pairing a typical sunbaked, grainy Los Angles shot with excellent modern camera movement through the scene. This scene highlights La La Land’s most attractive feature from a cinematographic standpoint: a reimagining of old using new.¹ Another of my favorite scenes was when Seb and Mia were walking outside Mia’s coffee shop. The cuts between head-level, side rolling cameras and bird’s eye views of the same scenes gave perspective and depth where they otherwise would have been lacking. Lastly, the coloring of the movie is simple, but delicate and perfect for its tone. While the movie itself flows through seasons, its general color pallet follows the movement of the sun. Starting with blazing mid-day yellows and oranges, it sinks into the deep purples of sunset and closes with dark blues of night - an obvious reflection of Seb and Mia's relationship.

#4. In similar fashion (sorry), the costume design is also well-suited (SORRY) for the movie. Seb begins the movie dressed in brown and off-white, a reflection of his dreary life. However, after he meets Mia, his clothing begins to change to display his character’s growth. His iconic outfit from the film, a totally black suit save a reflective gold tie, is probably my favorite. In essence, this outfit reflects exact how I view Seb: outwardly clean cut, calm, and straightforward, but with a burning core which flashes throughout the movie. Mia also has consistent apparel: below knee mono-colored dresses which reflect her mood. When she is happily dancing with Seb, she wears yellow. When she is sickeningly listening to her boyfriend rant about pointless upper-class topics, dark green. Lastly, at the end of the film when she sadly reflects back on what might have been, black, which also ties in with the general color pallet of the movie for the scene.

#5. The plot is realistic and relatable. The majority of romance movies I have watched follow the same basic track. Person A meets Person B. They have a wonderful time falling in love, but then something causes them to fight and split. However, A and B simultaneously realize while they are apart that they cannot live without the other. Both then race back into the other’s arms and live out their days as one, normally sacrificing some dream or job in favor of their lover. The trope becomes old the 14th time you’ve watched it and has the added negative effect of stigmatizing couples who permanently break up over similar conflicts. In La La Land, Seb and Mia chose their dreams and passions over the only person they had each ever met who fully understood them. If they had stayed together, I’m sure the general audience would have been thrilled. However, the truly intrepid appreciate and recognize the reality of Seb and Mia’s situation. I’m sure many, like me, resonate with the story’s conflicts and know first-hand how inevitable they feel at times.

All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds awake to find that it was vanity; But the dreamers of day are dangerous men. That they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible.²

La La Land is a film for said dreamers: an affirmation of their struggles and an acknowledgement of the relational sacrifices they make to pursue their purpose.