La La Land (2016)
4/5 - Very good lots to enjoy
Synopsis
Aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone) attends audition after audition but, despite giving some passionate performances, finds that she is either not what casting agents are looking for or that they are oblivious to what she is doing. Pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is gifted and imbued with the soul of classic jazz, but he is a perfectionist and difficult to work with. They meet by accident and through the course of a sun-drenched Los Angeles year they fall in love. But the call of their art forms threatens to separate them.
Review by Jason Day
Having hit UK cinema screens this weekend, armed with superlative-rich reviews from critics almost across the board, Whiplash director Damien Chazelle's modern day musical is the talk of the country. Something only a few great films that are not over-marketed blockbusters ever achieve.
Like Whiplash, actor J.K Simmons has a supporting role, Jazz plays a main character and the lead characters take an instant dislike to each other.
There the similarities end for not only do the leads fall in love but Chazelle opts for the fun, fresh and frothy approach adopted by Arthur Freed for his series of hit MGM musicals during the 40's and 50's.
La La Land's song and dance numbers are not as polished as those productions but they are vibrant, positive and full of sun-kissed youth...a bit like the Hollywood where it is set. For once, the City of Angels is not depicted as a fetid, Skid Row town that spews out dreams to its disillusioned populace and then swallows them whole.
Gosling and Stone make a smashing team in a toe-tapping, colourful delight.
For more, read the full review here
Cast & credits
Director: Damien Chazelle.128mins. Black Label Media/Gilbert Films/Imposter Pictures/Marc Platt Productions. (12a)
Producers: Fred Berger, Gary Gilbert, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt.
Writer: Damien Chazelle.
Camera: Linus Sandgren.
Music: Justin Hurwitz.
Sets: David Wasco.
Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, J.K. Simmons, Callie Hernandez, Jessica Rothe, Sonoya Mizuno, Rosemarie DeWitt.
Pic: Courtesy of Lionsgate
