Likable, original movie that shouldn't be tied to one genre

Rating: 9/10 (25 January 2017)

Where to start with a review of the most talked-about movie of the moment? Well, how about with what it is not? Watching 'La La Land' last night I fairly quickly decided that the film was not what the majority of critics had labelled it, a homage piece to 1950s musicals. With the exception of one or two of the opening scenes, the film lacks the giant sound stage atmosphere of a studio musical and is instead rooted much more firmly in the LA of today. It is perhaps better described as romance first, love letter to LA and jazz second, and homage to studio movies in general (rather than just the musical variety) third. Indeed the film's many references, both in dialogue and style, to 'Casablanca' signpost this wider homage.
That jazz features so prominently once again in Damien Chazelle's third movie is unsurprising after the success of 'Whiplash' - it will be more of a shock if it is a centrepiece of his next movie, Neil Armstrong biopic 'First Man', which may give us a better impression of whether he is capable of diversity as well as quality. The direction in 'La La Land' is very solid and gives the impression of a writer/director who knows exactly how he wants his movie to unfold. The pace of the movie is very easy and relaxing and I found myself enjoying each moment without concentrating on what might be coming next, an all too rare experience and one of the most likable aspects of the film.
Perhaps one of the only real negatives of the film for me was the freedom given to cinematographer Linus Sandgren, of 'American Hustle' and 'Joy' fame, whose camera work was ostentatious at times and distracted from the more grounded feel that Chazelle and lead actors Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling brought to the film.
Centred as it is on the romance between the leads, the movie simply wouldn't work without the excellent performances of Stone and Gosling. Stone uses her expressiveness with great subtlety, steering the film equally well through moments of emotional drama and romantic fantasy. Gosling will be credited most for his musical talent which is coupled with the effortless, pensive charm that has become his trademark. I have read criticism of their singing and dancing but feel that this is misplaced. Were the film the musical in the Gene Kelly style that many critics have dubbed it, this might be a relevant criticism. However, the film that I saw suited the slightly understated musical performances, which complemented its relaxed, grounded feel.
My final thoughts are on the overall theme of the movie. For a romantic fantasy the movie is surprisingly thought-provoking and presents a nuanced stance on the conflicts between love and success which felt accessible despite its Hollywood glamour. The achievement of this balance between fantasy and realism owes a great deal to Chazelle's witty-yet-believable dialogue and the performances of the two leads.
Approach this movie without the desire to shoe-horn it into one genre or another and I think you will be pleased by how many sizes it fits!