Dreams Give Life

Rating: 10/10 (2 January 2017)

Emma Stone angelically sings, "Here's to the ones who dream..." in a showcase moment in "La La Land". Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are enchanting. Director and Writer Damien Chazelle's musical is an ode to the dreamers and to passionately pursuing your dreams. I love "La La Land". "La La Land" is an amazing love story-- bitter sweet and resoundingly poignant. It made me happy. "La La Land" touched my heart.
I did not expect this from an old school movie musical. Director Chazelle lyrically outs this with the opening number as performers sing and dance atop their cars stranded in traffic on a Los Angeles freeway. In cosmic synchronicity lovers, Sebastian (Gosling) and Mia (Stone), meet when one flips the other 'the bird'. Yes, only in La La Land— Los Angeles. In the days of Astaire and Rogers, musicals used to cast gifted singers and dancers, who could act. "La La Land" has gifted actors Stone and Gosling, who can sing and dance.
This resonates for "La La Land", because it is eloquently about the choices we make in life and the possibilities. As Stone smiles on a bench at the Griffith Park observatory, she is sublime—both joyous and sad. Gosling speaks with such soulful conviction to Stone about jazz being "always new". Even by narrative design as they burst into song or dance, Stone and Gosling ground with touching authenticity the compromises they sacrifice for their dreams. I read that Stone and Gosling both trained rigorously for months for their roles. Gosling also displays mastery at the piano. Their performances are among the year's best. So is "La La Land".
Stone is Mia, an aspiring actress and full-time barista at a coffee shop on a Hollywood Studio lot. Gosling is Sebastian, a jazz pianist working at restaurant and jazz bar, who dreams of one day opening his own club. They meet a couple times before they get the universe's message. They share their dreams. Mia is frustrated with audition failures, and is at heart a writer and wonderful storyteller. Sebastian yearns to make jazz vital and alive for people. Sebastian is estranged from successful band-mate Keith (very cool John Legend). Love arises for Mia and Sebastian in the movie theater in Rialto. Director Chazelle literally transforms gently holding hands into a dazzling dance amidst the stars.
The dancing and music in "La La Land" are astonishing. The dancing is particularly moving with Stone and Gosling. They have that magical chemistry. The songs by composer Justin Hurwitz and lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are catchy with a few that are memorable. Although, Hurwitz's final musical composition is wondrous.
Life happens for Mia and Sebastian filled with joy and heartbreak, and through it all is love. Mia says, "I'm always gonna love you." Emma Stone allows us to see her soul through her eyes. Her performance is amazing. Stone is beautiful and is luminescent on screen. Gosling is so classically handsome, and he disarms with his fearless vulnerability. Stone and Gosling are such soulful actors and are the heart of "La La Land". Dreams give life. With them, we surrender to love and what happens will be so. "La La Land" made me happy. "La La Land" touches and inspires.