[Review] La La Land: For Everyone with a Dream
In late December last year, the distributors held advance screenings for La La Land, and I couldn't wait to see it. The result was a film I couldn't forget for a long time, and I immediately wanted to see it a second time. This must be the magic of cinema!
I haven't typically been very interested in musicals and haven't seen many. However, La La Land's first scene utterly captivated me: the camera first captures the vast, cloudless blue skies and traffic jam scenes characteristic of Los Angeles, then a long take follows, showing drivers and passengers on the highway getting out to sing and dance. This scene flows seamlessly, with dynamic and fluid camera movements, highlighting the Los Angeles environment, and, more importantly, setting the tone for the film: it looks full of joy, and the musical numbers give the movie a slightly surreal feel.
Then, the film introduces us to the female protagonist, Mia, a girl aspiring to be an actress, constantly attending auditions. She meets the male protagonist, Sebastian, a jazz music lover, on the highway. A simple encounter introduces us to the two leads. The film then continues to deepen the characters' backgrounds and personalities. For Mia, the staging of the party scene is excellent: it first captures fast-paced, colorful, dazzling musical numbers, then the movements of others on the dance floor suddenly slow down. Mia walks alone through the crowd, the music's rhythm also slows, and the lyrics directly reflect her inner thoughts: "Can I find that patron who appreciates me here?" As for Sebastian, his solo performance in the restaurant uses lighting similar to a stage play, with the piano music shifting from slow and sorrowful to rapid and angry, directly reflecting his feeling of being wronged and angry that no one appreciates his jazz music. The film uses excellent staging, cinematic language, and lyrics and music to deepen the portrayal of the two protagonists, showcasing director Damien Chazelle's skill. At this point, they meet again, and Mia hears from the piano music that she has finally found someone who understands her. However, Sebastian angrily runs out of the restaurant, and they remain strangers.
A few months later, they meet again at a party. The film then depicts their relationship developing, while also narrating their pursuit of dreams. In the scenes detailing their courtship, the film constantly uses somewhat dreamlike musical numbers, presenting their love joyfully and romantically. Later, as they become a couple, the film spends more time on their pursuit of dreams, its pace begins to slow, and the tone becomes more realistic.
On their path to pursuing dreams, the two take starkly different approaches: Mia chooses to work diligently, spending all her money to rent a venue, writing, directing, and starring in a one-woman stage play, but the reception is not as ideal. Sebastian, on the other hand, chooses to form a band with friends, performing a watered-down version of jazz music that he doesn't genuinely love, but the response is very positive, earning him a good income. Both pursue their respective ideals, but their paths are very different, and Sebastian misses Mia's performance because of it, souring their relationship. In several of the film's dramatic scenes, the film highlights their differences: Mia insists on the art she believes in, even going bankrupt to achieve her dream; Sebastian chooses popular music, abandoning his beloved traditional jazz. In these segments, I believe the director also expresses his own views on the current Hollywood film industry: some (including himself) insist on their artistic style; another group opts to make popular works, first attracting audience attention to the medium and increasing their own fame, then slowly pursuing true art. As for which is more admirable? I believe every audience member has their own opinion.
Beyond the excellent performances of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, the film's music is also a crucial character. The opening song, "Another Day of Sun," sets the tone for the entire film, laying out its themes of Hollywood and dreams. Subsequently, Mia and Sebastian's theme songs, "The Fools Who Dream" and "City of Stars," continuously play throughout the film, underscoring the evolution of their relationship. Various versions of "City of Stars" even have lyrics that correspond to their changing relationship, using song to express their inner feelings instead of dialogue. Following Whiplash, director Damien Chazelle once again incorporates a large number of jazz music elements into the film, expressing his views on this music and showcasing his passion. Earlier, foreign media reported that his next project will be a film about astronaut Neil Armstrong (who was also mentioned in La La Land), starring Ryan Gosling. I wonder how he will fare directing a subject matter outside of music?
Additionally, the film's editing is very distinctive. In some scenes, such as the process of making coffee and playing jazz music, the director employs rapid editing, very similar to his previous work Whiplash, which is highly characteristic of his personal style. At the same time, when handling the party scene, the director uses montage techniques, along with golden borders and champagne pouring visuals, to create a feeling of dazzling decadence, also highlighting its contrast with what Mia pursues. I particularly appreciate how the director skillfully uses cinematic language to create different moods during filming. For example, after Mia fails an audition and argues with Sebastian, the film uses tilt-shift shots to create a sense of psychological instability, a very traditional yet highly effective technique.
A friend who watched the film with me once said that if this movie hadn't taken place in Los Angeles, it would have lost all its flavor. Indeed, Los Angeles is truly the place that best represents dreams in America, attracting countless people each year to pursue their aspirations. Simultaneously, the scenery in the film is simply breathtaking: the blue skies of Los Angeles, the night view from the Griffith Observatory, and the city's unique streetscapes... More importantly, the film pays homage to old Hollywood films and musicals: from the decor of Mia's room to the Hollywood film sets, and the artistic and dance design of the dreamlike sequence at the end, every detail reflects the production team's respect for Hollywood cinema.
In this review, what I most want to discuss is the film's ending. The film begins in winter, progresses through spring, summer, and autumn, also showcasing the evolving relationship between Mia and Sebastian. In the final part of the film, the story directly jumps five years forward to winter, depicting Mia as a big star returning to the coffee shop where she used to work. The film could have ended here, creating a neat full circle with the opening. However, the film doesn't end there. Instead, it narrates how Mia and her husband, by chance, visit Sebastian's jazz club, where the two finally meet again.
La La Land has two important themes: dreams and love. Throughout the film, Mia and Sebastian pursue their dreams in different ways, ultimately succeeding in achieving them. Therefore, this film seems to be a gift to everyone with a dream, encouraging them not to give up when they encounter difficulties, setbacks, confusion, or despair. However, in terms of love, their ending is not quite a happy one. From their initial encounter to their mutual attraction, and then pursuing dreams together, only to become entangled due to diverging paths, their relationship constantly changes, successfully engaging the audience's emotions and involvement. In the film's ending, after they meet again, Sebastian, while playing his solo, fantasizes about the beautiful, sweet, and happy path their lives would have taken if he had made a different decision when he first met Mia at the restaurant. This segment is truly moving, a joyous, harmonious ending for the audience. However, the moving and sweet nature of that segment strongly contrasts with Sebastian's regret, sadness, and melancholy in reality. And we must also understand that even if Sebastian had indeed made a different decision initially, their ending might not have been so perfect. But this segment, from Sebastian's perspective, articulates the "opportunity" he desired but missed. In the film's final shot, we see Sebastian and Mia look at each other, smiling. Dreams and love can only be chosen one at a time, and that smile leaves the film with a bittersweet, understated period.
It's been a long time since I've seen a film that made me want to watch it a second time immediately. La La Land is one of the best films I watched in 2016; the joy, emotion, and regret it brought me during the viewing have lingered for a long time.
Finally, after watching this film, I realized how much I truly miss Los Angeles. Whenever I recall those happy memories, I immediately remember the regrets within them, which I believe is also what Mia and Sebastian feel! I hope to have the chance to revisit this city, this "City of Stars," again.
City of stars, are you shining just for me?