I'm not particularly fond of either the romance or musical genres. I find often enough that the two genres are particularly boring, with almost try-hard levels of writing that the actors struggle to successfully pull off. That said, if a film gains as much traction as La La Land has, I'm certainly going to check it out.
In short, La La Land is your average narrative: two people fall in love due to their similar levels of passion and ambition for the arts. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is an aspiring jazz pianist and Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress. As Sebastian's career within Los Angeles is welcomed with plenty success, Mia is stuck in the struggle of landing gigs as she watches Sebastian's rise unfold before her. Their relationship is then put to the test.
Typically, I'd say that such a narrative isn't anything special, and even though I do partially believe that, La La Land manages to justify such a weak narrative with its unique cinematography and rather stylish performances. With my bias on musicals, I for once enjoyed the greater picture, even when such moments of singing and rich playful emotion slightly distracted me from it.
Cinematography is the film's biggest strength by far, and I'm near certain everyone with an interest in the world of cinema has seen the various screenshots of the sun-kissed land of Los Angeles; a gentle colour palette of purple, blue, pink, and yellow. It works excellently as a visual perception of a land known for its opportunities for creatives for the characters, almost a utopia in which dreams become reality, although we know very much that it isn't the case, and the struggle is as large as any other. It's beautifully artistic and each frame can be considered a picture, which is often something that can't be said for most films these days.
There's something unique about La La Land, and I believe it's the dedication to be different; to go all-out and dream-like in almost an inspirational fashion. Damien Chazelle is a truly talented director when given the right budget and cast, although that was already evident with Whiplash and 10 Cloverfield Lane.
