La La Land
Tags: satire

Plot synopsis:
While stuck in traffic on a Los Angeles highway ("Another Day of Sun"), Mia Dolan, an aspiring actress, has a moment of road rage with Sebastian Wilder, a struggling jazz pianist. Her subsequent audition goes poorly, where the casting director takes a call in the middle of an emotional scene. That night, Mia's roommates take her to a lavish party in the Hollywood Hills ("Someone in the Crowd"). She walks home after her car is towed.
During a gig at a restaurant, Sebastian slips into a passionate jazz improvisation despite warnings from the owner to stick to the setlist of traditional Christmas songs. Mia overhears the music as she passes by ("Mia and Sebastian's Theme"). Moved, she enters the restaurant, but Sebastian is fired. As he storms out, Mia attempts to compliment him, but he brushes her off.
Months later, Mia runs into Sebastian at a party where he plays in a 1980s pop cover band; she teases him by requesting "I Ran (So Far Away)", a song he considers an insult for "a serious musician". After the gig, the two walk to their cars, lamenting each other's company despite the chemistry between them ("A Lovely Night").
The next day, Sebastian arrives at Mia's work, and she shows Sebastian around the movie lot, where she works as a barista, while explaining her passion for acting. Sebastian takes Mia to a jazz club, describing his passion for jazz and desire to open his own club. They warm to each other ("City of Stars"). Sebastian invites Mia to a screening of Rebel Without a Cause; Mia accepts, forgetting a commitment with her current boyfriend. Bored with the double date with her boyfriend, she runs to the theater, finding Sebastian as the film begins. The two conclude their evening with a romantic dance at the Griffith Observatory ("Planetarium").
After more failed auditions, Mia decides, at Sebastian's suggestion, to write a one-woman play. Sebastian begins to perform regularly at a jazz club ("Summer Montage"), and the two move in together. Sebastian's former classmate Keith invites him to be the keyboardist in his fusion jazz band, where he will be offered a steady income. Although dismayed by the band's pop style, Sebastian signs after overhearing Mia trying to convince her mother that Sebastian is working on his career. Mia attends one of their concerts ("Start a Fire") but is disturbed, knowing Sebastian does not enjoy his band's music.
During the band's first tour, Mia and Sebastian get into an argument; she accuses him of abandoning his dreams, while he claims she liked him more when he was unsuccessful. Mia leaves, insulted and frustrated. Sebastian misses Mia's play due to a photo shoot with the band that he had forgotten. The play is a disaster; few people attend, and Mia overhears dismissive comments. Despondent and unable to pay the theater back, she moves back home to Boulder City, Nevada.
Sebastian receives a call from a casting director who attended Mia's play, inviting her to a film audition. Sebastian drives to Boulder City and persuades Mia to attend. The casting directors ask Mia to tell a story; she sings about her aunt who inspired her to pursue acting ("Audition (The Fools Who Dream)"). Sebastian encourages her to devote herself to the opportunity. They profess they will always love each other but are uncertain of their future.
Five years later, Mia is a famous actress and happily married to another man, with whom she has a daughter. One night, the couple stumble upon a jazz bar. Noticing the "Seb's" logo she had once designed, Mia realizes Sebastian has opened his club. As Sebastian notices Mia in the crowd, he plays their love theme and the two imagine what might have been had their relationship worked perfectly ("Epilogue"). Before Mia leaves with her husband, she shares a smile with Sebastian.

Review: New Star of Comedy = Marc Wootton. Upon Watching this show for the first time I had not heard of Marc Wootton nor seen any prior advertising about it. However this show proved to be a masterclass in clever, witty, improvised comedy.La La Land has a simple premise with Wootton letting loose his three comedy creations (all of which are seeking fame and fortune) on the unsuspecting residents of L.A. Of course Sacha Baron Cohen has already covered similar ground with both 'Borat' and 'Bruno', so it could be suggested that this show lacks in originality and that is partially true. However, do not let that put you off as Wootton really does bring something new to the table with three very funny characters and a brilliant mocking of the L.A culture.As for the characters, this is where this show really delivers. Gary Garner, Shirley Ghostman and Brendan Allen have some similarities with each being Brits, completely inept, utterly deluded and importantly very funny.Gary Garner is a former East London Cabbie turned wannabe actor, who claims to be 'the next big thing you haven't heard of yet' and models himself on Hardman 'Jason Stratham'. He is living with Hollywood legend Ruta Lee while in L.A and the exchanges between the two are particularly funny with Lee becoming ever more exasperated. Garner without doubt proves to be the most amusing creation with Wootton playing the Brash, ignorant but still earnest cabbie to perfection.Shirley Ghostman is a rogue Physcic trying to become 'America's new Physcic superstar'. He has been banned from the U.K due to making false claims about a missing girl and being caught out in a Newspaper sting. Ghostman appears to be in denial about his sexuality despite being particularly camp and often being caught in compromising situations such as viewing gay pornography or suggesting a meeting to take place at a Public Toilets. Wootton plays Ghostman almost worryingly well and the characters real nasty/bitchy streak works great.Brendan Allen is a 'documentary film maker' who is clearly passionate but idea's often seemed flawed. His bizarre idea's provide the main source of comedy, such as, his insistence on filming a documentary in a single take or his view that cages have never been used to help film sharks underwater and his attempt to become the 'right wing Michael Moore'. Allen is the epitome of ineptitude and provides the audience with many laughs.Many have commented that Wootton is the 'new Sacha Baron Cohen', others have suggested he's a pale imitation, but it is entirely unfair to compare the two with Wootton a relative newcomer and both undoubtedly doing a brilliant job of improvisational comedy. If you enjoyed either 'Borat' or 'Bruno' or just like clever, innovative comedy then this show is for you.. Once it gets going, pretty funny. First off, it's true that this show is more or less a knock off of Sasha Baron Cohen's routine, playing characters in real situations with real people. It shouldn't be held against the show that 'it's been done before', because in fairness, it's a schtick that can only be pulled off by any one person for so long before the non-anonymity of the characters makes it impossible; so seeing La La Land as a continuation of a genre, rather than a rip-off, is the show worth watching? I'd say yes. It's got a much darker humor than SBC's routine, and this show actually presents something quite different than Ali G. or Borat or Bruno did--- rather than 'shocking people', Wooten instead shows more nuanced reaction slowly rising up to full unease. And unlike some of SBC's routines, where the ignorance or stupidity of the American public is exposed, we see the good side of a lot of people, and it's actually quite nice to see Wooten's characters confronted (rather than simply bamboozled) by his 'victims'.The show seems quite short; it's best to watch a bunch of episodes at once (it takes an episode or two for me to ease into the humor of it). This isn't the greatest comedy in the world, but it's pretty funny if you like your humor dark and quite varied, from subtle uneasy to brashly overstated.. Brilliant stuff yet again!. To the reviewer above who says its a knock off of Sasha Baron Cohen...You don't know what you are talking about. If you bothered doing any research you will know that Marc Wootton was doing this AGES ago with the even better Cyderdelic, My Best Friend and Shirley Ghostman. Don't get me wrong....Cohen is very good but Marc Wootton is better. Check out his other stuff and tell me I'm wrong - you wont regret it.La La Land isn't quite as good as his previous stuff but its still absolutely hilarious. Just far too many bits to mention here!. Tommy Wiseau fans! Watch this!. Writing another quick review here because...one of the episodes features (by accident) a certain Tommy Wiseau of The Room fame and more lately The Disaster Artist.Just buy this and see! "I am an American!"