A triumph of cinema.

Rating: 9/10 (30 December 2016)

Musicals are a rare breed in cinemaland these days. Once every so often a big budget effort (Chicago, Les Mis, Into the Woods) comes along to remind us they do still exist, but even these films don't do much to entice newcomers to the genre. Now I don't know if La La Land will succeed where others have failed and prove to be the birth of a musical reconnaissance, but if any movie can achieve it, this is definitely the one. Vibrant, funny and superbly shot, this tongue-in-cheek throwback to the upbeat musicals of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire is a toe-tapping delight from the ambitious highway-set opening number all the way to the closing what-could-have-been sequence. Following up after the phenomenal Whiplash, writer-director Damien Chazelle has definitively announced his arrival into Hollywood; the combination of flair and technical mastery in which he executes each diverse set piece is astounding. The song and dance numbers continually build on the story — a struggling actress and a budding Jazz pianist juggle life, love and their lofty dreams — whilst always bringing something fresh both visually and musically, whether it's an 80s parody dance sequence or a soulful jazz interlude. Director of photography Linus Sandgren must be given his due praise too; the camera-work is both enterprising and stylish, the frequent unbroken tracking shots adding another level of pizazz to the proceedings. Yet for all of the wonder and awe brought by Chazelle and his crew, the film still requires a headlining duo capable of providing an emotional core that can match the song and dance fireworks. Step up Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. In their third movie opposite each other (after Crazy, Stupid, Love and Gangster Squad) the ridiculously talented acting pair not only boast a sizzling chemistry on screen, but also get to show off their dancing and singing skills that, much to the normal person's ire, are obviously brilliant. More accessible to the average moviegoer than many previous modern musicals, La La Land is a triumphant convergence of music, dance and awe-inspiring cinema.