An ode to classic cinema and a complete joy to behold

Rating: 10/10 (23 January 2017)

I can't remember the last time I fell in love with a movie head over heels before this. Oh yes I do, it was Whiplash. There's gotta be a pattern there somewhere and there is of course, the magical duo Damien Chazelle and Justin Hurwitz have done it again, delivering another cinematic masterpiece in the form of La La Land. The conflict of hard headed careerism and heartfelt romanticism in Hollywood, a town that manufactures "fairy tales for adults", is at the core of "La La Land,and is unflinchingly examined.
At first glance, before I heard about the universal acclaim the movie was garnering, I thought the title looked corny and upon finally getting the ticket and witnessing the beginning scene, the skeptic in me reared its ugly head, the dance number on the freeway didn't quite appease me even though the song was catchy, it was clichéd and unremarkable, looking like one of those annoying random flash mobs you get in every city. How mislead I was indeed. Shortly afterwards, the title rolled on and there's Ryan Gosling/Sebastian waiting in the traffic in his classic crimson open rooftop ride, twiddling the radio playing jazz, as the camera panned forwards to the Prius in which Emma Stone/Mia was rehearsing her lines, among the many cars on the gridlocked highway, the cars start moving and Emma didn't follow suit, distracted by her audition lines, prompting angry honks and wtf looks from Ryan which Emma replies by flashing a birdie and immediately I knew I was in for a treat. From then on, what followed was a montage - showing how Mia, a barista in a coffee shop strives to become a successful actress amidst all her disappointing auditions and Sebastian who harbors a hope to revive the dying jazz by opening his own club albeit betraying his passion by going on gigs he hates just to pay his rent and how their paths cross albeit accidentally but amusing and where it all goes from there - so beautiful and mesmerizing, i couldn't help but watch in awe, every part of my body quite frequently tingling with goosebumps with lines uttered or just plain silence and music played. Each and every scene was magnificent, flowing from one frame to another in a manner both effortless and tailor made for each other, such was the beauty of the script penned and lived out to perfection by the leads. Ryan was brooding and sardonic, and limited somewhat but he was effective in his own ways, conveying emotions be it snappy annoyance at someone poking fun at jazz, despair at being misunderstood or unbridled love and joy without so much as a word uttered but brisk expressions and body language. Emma Stone however was simply delightful, she waltzed in and out of every frame she featured in, charmingly expressive with her wide range of emotions and heart failing smiles and eyes that stare and wink at the soul. Their dance numbers and duets together were authentic and charming, which makes them one of the few pairs in Hollywood with sizzling chemistry, the tap dance bit on the bridge overlooking the picturesque glittering city of LA bathed in purplish orange twilight especially quaint.
Of course for a musical, the music is what makes or breaks a movie and here it ticks all the boxes, right from the tap dance number, A Lovely Night to the hauntingly melancholic Mia and Seb's theme, simply a treat for the ears as well as the eyes thanks to the limited yet intimate dance choreography and of course the camera work, the palette of colours on show was quite dazzling, first popping like fireworks and then subdued and luminescent, as Los Angeles is in its full element here displayed in all its glory. The spellbinding sequence entitled Planetarium could be mistaken for heaven itself. While baby boomers would note that the dancing and singing of Ryan and Emma could scarcely be compared to that of "Singin' in the rain" for instance, for me it felt real, sincere and modest but no less lovely, which crucially added credence to the story.
However, what makes this movie truly spectacular is the execution and directing, there's not a single scene that was out of place and not a single dialogue that seemed irrelevant, in the same mould of Whiplash,La La Land delivers where it really counts, the storytelling. The placement of the musical segments is controlled and ordered, giving its way to the development of the story effectively. The theme of the film is compelling and relevant to people of all age in modern day - whether you are young with enthusiasm and dreams for tomorrow or old with tender nostalgia of the yesteryears. Not only was it fresh, but it unabashedly evokes our emotions in a way that either makes us grin from ear to ear or hits us hard in our guts and leaves a lasting tinge of sadness, look me straight in the eyes and tell me that symphony of an ending didn't leave a lump in your throat. While the climax of Whiplash was thrilling and pulsating, La La Land's was delicate but powerful nonetheless, pulling curtains over the movie in way you'd never see coming, putting you under its spell which wistfully stays with you long after you've left the theater and driving back home, humming the City of Stars.
A gem that will live on and called back to for generations to come, La La Land is neither over the top fantasy, or gritty harsh reality, it's more about where the line is between the two and how it defines love and this is where the movie trumps above all others, showing us both what we want to see and what we tend to avoid or ignore.
Can't recommend this enough, so go on now and get yourselves lost in this bittersweet tale of passion and pragmatism.
10/10