La La Land

Rating: 8/10 (18 January 2017)

From Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash), I heard a little about this film a couple of months before its release, the title relates to both the location city and the idiom for being out of touch with reality, I knew it was likely to be part of awards season. Basically in Los Angeles, California, on-studio barista and aspiring actress Mia (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning Emma Stone) and jazz pianist Sebastian (Golden Globe winning, and Oscar and BAFTA nominated Ryan Gosling) are caught in traffic on a crowded highway, they have a moment of road rage. Despite her best efforts, Mia has a poor audition, that night she is taken out by her roommates to a lavish Hollywood Hills party, after which she finds her car has been towed away and is forced to take the long walk back. Sebastian is playing piano for a gig in a restaurant, he slips into passionate jazz improvisation, despite being warned by the owner Bill (J.K. Simmons), Mia walks past and overhears, she enters to listen and sees Sebastian get fired, he storms out and coldly brushes off Mia trying to compliment him. Months later, Mia and Sebastian cross paths when he is playing with a band at a party, he is a part of a 1980s pop cover band, after the gig they walk together to find their cars, and expressing the waste of a good evening with each other, but there is clearly chemistry between them. Mia takes Sebastian on a walk around the movie lot, explaining her passion for acting, and Sebastian takes Mia to a jazz club, describing his love for the music that may be dying out, and explaining his passion to open a club, they warm to each other. Mia has a commitment with her current boyfriend, she forgot this when accepting an invite from Sebastian to a screening of Rebel Without a Cause, but she leaves to join Sebastian, as the film begins, the two conclude their evening with a romantic dance at the Griffith Observatory. Mia has more failed auditions, following Sebastian's suggestion she decides to write a personal single-actress play, while Sebastian begins to perform regularly at the jazz club, the two also move in together. Sebastian's high school classmate Keith (John Legend) invites him to be the keyboardist in his jazz band, this is an offer for steady income, Sebastian is daunted by the pop- oriented style of the band, but overhearing a conversation by Mia to her mother about his career, he signs with them, and Mia knows his heart is not fully into the music being made. The band are on their first tour, Mia confronts Sebastian about his future and goals, he responds saying that she wanted him to have a steady career, then accuses her that she loved him when he was unsuccessful, Mia leaves insulted. Sebastian fails to show up for the opening night of Mia's solo play, due to a photo shoot he forgot about, only a few people attend, Mia is dejected overhearing dismissive comments from audience members, so she leaves Los Angeles and moves back to Boulder City, Nevada. One day, Sebastian receives a call from a casting agent who was watching Mia's play, Mia has been invited to a film audition, Sebastian drives to Boulder City and persuades Mia to return, she is simply asked to tell a story for the audition, she tells an emotional story about her aunt who inspired her to pursue acting. Sebastian is confident that the audition went well for Mia, he asserts that she must devote herself wholeheartedly to the opportunity she has been given, they profess they will always love each other, but they face an uncertain future. Five years later, Mia is a famous actress and married to David (Tom Everett Scott) and they have a daughter, one night they stumble into a jazz club, Mia notices the name "Seb's", she realises Sebastian has finally opened his own club, he is playing piano and spots her in the audience, looking unsettled and regretful. This prompts an extended dream sequence, the two imagine what might have been had their relationship worked out perfectly, while their love theme plays, when the dream ends Mia leaves with her husband, before walking out Sebastian and Mia look at each other with a knowing look and smile, they are happy they have achieved their dreams. Also starring Rosemarie DeWitt as Laura, Finn Wittrock as Greg, Callie Hernandez as Tracy, Sonoya Mizuno as Caitlin, Jessica Rothe as Alexis and Josh Pence as Josh. Stone is strong, charismatic and vulnerable as the jobbing actress, Gosling is a likable talented musician, they make a good couple, this works well as a look into going-on in Tinseltown, it has the feel of a classic film of the genre, in the modern day, and it has wonderful songs and dance sequences, a most enjoyable romantic musical comedy drama. It won the Oscars for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score for Justin Hurwitz, Best Original Song for "City of Stars" (it also won the Golden Globe) and Best Production Design, and it was nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Year (it was mistakenly announced as the winner, dubbed "envelopegate", Moonlight was the actual winner), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing and Best Original Song for "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)", it won the BAFTA for Best Film, Best Cinematography and Original Music, and it was nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design and Best Sound, and it won the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, Best Screenplay and Best Original Score. Very good!