A near perfect film!

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2016)

I really wanted to love 'la la land'. And I REALLY REALLY liked it. But I didn't love it. It was a beautiful film, but left a lot to be desired in the writing department. As a screenwriter myself, the cliché way Sebastian and Mia meet and banter left a lot to be desired. They don't actually get together until what feels like Halfway through the movie. I'm sure there's a lot of people out there who love 'the journey'. I'm not one of them. Even my friend next to me said 'just kiss ALREADY!'. I can't say the rest of my problems with the film without spoiling it so I'll just say the dinner scene made NO SENSE. Thankfully for Damian, the dancing and singing was just enough to distract from plot holes. The musical numbers were fantastic and ultimately this kind of escapist film is just what we need in this day and age. It definitely lives up to its hype, even if the ending doesn't leave you as uplifted as you expected to asking in. On the bright side, the 'audition' song is a beautifully moving one that leaves you in tears. If it's not performed and doesn't win an Oscar, it will be a major upset.