La La Land
Overview
La La Land is a 2016 romantic musical drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. The film is a love letter to Los Angeles, jazz, and the golden age of Hollywood musicals, while also being a deeply realistic look at the sacrifices required to pursue artistic dreams. Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress who works as a barista on the Warner Bros. lot while attending endless auditions that go nowhere. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz pianist who dreams of opening his own jazz club but is forced to play cheesy Christmas songs in a restaurant. They meet by chance, have a frustrating encounter, and then fall in love over the course of a magical Los Angeles summer. The film is structured around beautiful musical numbers that capture the emotions of their relationship. The opening number, "Another Day of Sun," is a stunning one-shot sequence on a traffic-jammed LA freeway. "A Lovely Night" is a tap-dance duet at sunset in the hills. "City of Stars" became the film's signature song, a wistful duet about hope and loneliness. The film celebrates the beauty of Los Angeles — the Griffith Observatory, the Colorado Street Bridge, the Lighthouse Café — while also capturing the constant rejection and disappointment of the entertainment industry. Mia writes and performs a one-woman show that is attended by almost no one. Sebastian sells out by joining a pop-jazz band led by his friend Keith (John Legend), who tells him that "jazz is about the future." The film's ending is what makes it truly special and heartbreaking. Mia gets a big break and becomes a famous actress, while Sebastian opens his club, called "Seb's." Five years later, Mia and her husband walk into Seb's, and Sebastian sees her. He plays their love song on the piano, and the film shows an alternate fantasy sequence of what their life could have been — marriage, children, happiness. But in reality, they share a silent, sad smile, and Mia leaves. They chose their dreams over each other. La La Land was a critical and commercial phenomenon, earning over $471 million worldwide. It won six Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Actress for Emma Stone, and Best Original Score. It was infamously announced as the winner of Best Picture before the correct envelope was found, revealing that Moonlight had actually won. La La Land is a gorgeous, emotional, and bittersweet film about the pain of choosing between love and ambition.
