If you feel like watching "The Notebook" but aren't up for the gut-wrenching, horrifically sad ending, "La La Land" offers a comparable substitute with a slightly less upsetting ending. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star in the musical film about an actress and pianist who fall in love, fall apart and have very minimal character development.
While set in today's time period, you wouldn't know it if it weren't for the smartphones and abundance of Priuses (or Prii, as Toyota has deemed it). The film takes you back to the jazz era with a classic Hollywood feel to explore how love can push you to follow your dreams. Stone, who portrays Mia, embraces the persona of a wannabe-actress who you can't help but feel a little sorry for, while Gosling, as her opposite, Sebastian, tap dances and tickles the ivories all the way into your heart.
The main issue with the film is the lack of character development with both of the leading actors. If it weren't for Stone's honest eyes and realistic voice, Mia would simply become a California girl who's down on her luck and Sebastian would be a little bit of a jerk if not for Gosling's flair that makes the audience question if he's actually Noah Calhoun.
Being a musical film, one would expect multiple song and dance numbers. Numbers in which one can see that the pair of actors aren't necessarily virtuosos in the craft their characters have been working to refine, however their truthful performance is more inviting and intriguing to watch than an unrealistically perfect representation.
"La La Land" features a score, composed by Justin Hurwitz, which captures both the essence of jazz and classic Hollywood, tied together in a way that today's generation could enjoy. Mandy Moore's choreography is as sweet and as genius as her other pieces, but incorporates a humble, adorable aspect that pairs wonderfully with the movie.
Even though the opening scene is inviting and aesthetically pleasing, it does nothing more than show the audience that, hey, this movie takes place in Los Angeles, a city where there's a lot of traffic and people tend to dance on cars while wearing brightly colored clothing. In fact, the three friends of Mia's who join her in one of the first songs of the film, "Someone in the Crowd," don't appear much more following Sebastian and Mia's official meeting—surprising, considering the song leads them on as being key components of the movie.
Other than the awkward dropping of Mia's friends and the absence of any real exposition, "La La Land" is enjoyable. Truthfully, Stone is what ultimately makes the film enjoyable. Not only do her physical attributes align well with the character she is portraying, but her wit and true love for what she's doing shine through and enhance the overall quality of the already lovable film.
"La La Land" is a critically acclaimed film while also having won the Critics' Choice Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Best Song. The film also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Actor — Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Best Actress — Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
