Towards a Touching Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (9 May 2017)

One can easily imagine all the elements to inevitably appear in a La La Land story and they're all here. This might dissuade some to sample this movie but that would be a mistake. Somehow, through skill and good taste, the powers behind this movie and the stars, themselves, have wrought a miracle, a true gem of a touching masterpiece. There are times when the schmaltz goes on too long, especially in the alternative reality towards the end, but for much of the rest of the time one can be held in awe as to how good the music, the dance/choreography (especially for two non-virtuoso dancers), the acting and directing, the writing and the actual 'realness' of it all turns out to be. Of course it doesn't hurt if the touch of lunacy, the dream theme and the curse of ever trying the impossible have woven themselves through the viewer's life.