I am a little late to the party, but while award shows are still in season, I decided to express the importance of the modern musical "La La Land." Being the dreamer that I am it's easy for me to find the lusty feeling of hope through the words spoken and through the easy rhythm of the music throughout the film.
Mia was an aspiring actress in Hollywood, which can be a major struggle, and then she met Sebastian; a musician attempting to bring jazz back. The two then fell in love with each other while still trying to fulfill their respective dreams they've always held close to their heart. Hope, love, and passion were the driving forces in their journeys.
What I took away from the brilliant film was the courage of following through with the one thing that sets you apart from others, regardless of leaving or hurting the people around you in the process. You have to be a certain kind of selfish to not let a single person or circumstance block your path, because you believe you were made for this. You were made to recite line after line, go through journal after journal each filled with countless stories and poems. You were supposed to look at the stars and feel your breath catch in your throat from the endless possibilities the world has given. You are built to dream because that's what you are made of. That's what I am made of.
Watching Mia and Sebastian fall in love with their passions first then each other was almost magical in a way. It also takes a certain kind of person to understand the feeling of the importance of creating art. An artist tends to observe the world around them through a different lens than most, and then to create the art...that's always a work in progress.
"La La Land" allows us to delve deep into the characteristics of life that are so unknown, and quite frankly, even the parts that aren't really taken into consideration anymore. The style and flow of this film leads to the sudden shifts of direction that happen every once in awhile. You meet someone, you fall in love, it doesn't work out, you continue on. That's just the way it is for some people, and "La La Land" does a fantastic job of portraying the rough part of reality especially in a world that doesn't typically consider art to be art anymore.
Mia and Sebastian were both creators, both artists, and both dreamers. They were each a piece of each other's art, but their relationship with their dreams created the masterpieces. Although they didn't end up together, their love for each other lives on through music, dancing, acting, dreaming; however, their stories will live forever on, allowing the audience to be drawn into the whimsical desire of creation.
"Here's to the ones that dream, as foolish as they may seem. Here's to the hearts that ache. Here's to the mess we make." -Mia, "La La Land"
