****
An aspiring actress and a down-on-his-luck jazz musician enjoy an all-singing, all-dancing romance in Los Angeles.
Originally, I wasn't going to see La La Land. Yep, you read that right - I wasn't planning on seeing one of the most talked-about films of the past few months. Why? Well, I just don't like musicals. With the exception of Moulin Rouge! I just don't find them to be all that enjoyable. Anyway, go along I did. From the very first scene, I had a big grin on my face. The opening montage is a real treat, with hundreds of people pirouetting on the tops of cars to a lively tune. And, I have to say, that smile remained with me through the rest of the film, right up until I started sobbing at the end (be warned, this is not the feel good movie everyone says it is!). Bathed in a beautifully immersive colour palette and gifted with two charming central stars, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, La La Land's simple story of life and love is rich in humour, whilst also never shying away from the realities of the everyday. It is playful, funny and charming from the very start, even though you are keenly aware of how the script and songs are emotionally manipulating you.
So, is it worth the hype? Just like The Artist a few years ago, it seems that as long as you use music to tell a story, your film will garner a wealth of plaudits and a plethora of nominations across the board. And whilst I can't deny that I enjoyed La La Land, I don't think it is as deserving of all this praise as others. Indeed, director Damien Chazelle's last film, Whiplash, was a far better, more inventive motion picture than his latest. There is also not much of a plot - this is hardly a labyrinthine story with twists and turns in every scene, rather a very basic story of boy meets girl. Of course, that's no necessarily a bad thing, but strip away the songs and the good-looking surface and you're not left with a great deal. Similarly, the songs aren't all that catchy - I saw the film on Wednesday and by the next morning the only song I could sort of hum was 'City of Stars'. It can't be denied that Emma Stone gives a great performance, but Ryan Gosling plays the same inexpressive, suave chap he always does. OK, he can play the piano really well and looks great in a suit, but does that warrant an Oscar? It's certainly a tricky one.
I grinned, laughed and cried (actually quite a lot at the end), and, despite going in with my reservations, actually really enjoyed La La Land. For me, it is not the 'best film of the year', nor is it, in my eyes, deserving of the awards hubbub, but I have to admit, I was engaged in the character's lives from the word 'go'. Whether you like musicals or not, you should definitely give it a go.
Comments
Post a Comment