Entirely Unexpected and Wholly Welcomed

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2017)

I walked into this movie late, having no idea what it was about, having no initiative to see it in the first place. Some family and friends opted to treat a for a movie and this one seemed OK. Wow! I've never been so unprepared to be swept off my feet by such an intoxicating, refreshing and all-around polished film. I grew up on movies like Singing in the Rain, with spontaneous song numbers, sing-shot dance sequences and a big Hollywood sets. This movie hearkens back to the Golden Age of film with a frankly wonderful soundtrack and equally delightful story of two dreamers and their journey. And even if you were never one for old-fashioned movies, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling's performances are worth the movie itself, keeping what is a tempting cliché love story innovative and modern enough to engage with anyone. Admittedly I thought the movie was going to be a bit cheeky, but with all it does to maintain a classic movie feel and keep the character's actions, settings and thoughts firmly in the present, it hits the rare nail on the head by being something we don't see too often any more: genuinely entertaining.