By Paul Hall
Enamored. That was the word after my screening of La La Land from director Damien Chazelle. It was all I could say as I exited the theater. I was enamored.
La La Land tells the story of Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) against the gorgeous backdrop of Los Angeles.
Sebastian loves jazz — smooth, clean and classic jazz. He dreams of opening a club of his own that focuses on his passion and opening that club at a legendary location that has turned its back on the art form.
Mia is an aspiring actress that is working at a coffee shop on the Warner Brothers lot. The job puts her closer to where she wants to be and lets her occasionally rub elbows with some of Hollywood’s elite.
When Sebastian and Mia meet, it is forgettable for him. Being part of the Hollywood crowd puts the two at parties and they start to talk. After a long period of courtship — in some odd ways — a relationship is in the cards. But the trials that come along during any relationship are real and cause stress, as both want the other to achieve their goals.
Sebastian and Mia are eminently relatable and because of that I sat invested in the film from start to finish. I wanted the two of them to succeed in their individual quests no matter the impact on their future relationship. With Gosling and Stone in the lead roles, you can’t help but love the actors bringing their own personalities to their characters. Sebastian’s working to pay the bills, while doing things he doesn’t necessarily enjoy, is so effortlessly exposed in Gosling’s facial expressions. Mia’s frustration with the audition process while putting her own dreams on hold is seen through Stone’s eyes in every scene.
And director Damien Chazelle is their puppet master. The writer and director who last gave us Whiplash in 2014 (a personal favorite of mine) displays a truly skillful ability to weave the story between musical numbers and narrative at will. I sat and watched moments of whimsy that were like nothing I have seen since classic musicals like Singin’ in the Rain.
The music is amazing and sticks in your head. The ending is just perfect, yet unconventional. The stars are electric and passionate. And the director is skillful and classic. All, with a script that you can’t help but smile at, leave no doubt that the word I started this review with — enamored — is apropos.
I had a smile throughout my viewing of the film, and I still have that same smile as I write this review. That’s what happens when you are talking about a special production.
If you see one film this year, make it La La Land. It will restore your faith in everything that is great about film.
La La Land
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend
Director: Damien Chazelle
Grade: A
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