Movie review: A trip to La La Land

“La La Land” is an award-winning musical film that was released in 2016. The director, Damien Chazelle, also directed “Whiplash,” which was my previously reviewed film.

The story features Mia (Emma Stone), a striving actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a struggling Jazz musician, as they seek to fulfill their dreams in Los Angeles.

On several occasions they cross paths, which leads to their loving relationship throughout the film. However, they soon discover that their dreams conflict with their relationship, and they must prioritize between their love and their dreams.

The music composition stands out before any other aspect of the film. The music written by Justin Hurwitz gave the film a Best Original Score award at the Oscars.

The music does not only just add style to the film, but it also plays a strong factor in the plot itself. For instance, the occupation Sebastian works in involves music, thus requiring the composer to create music for that situation.

The film has plenty of themes to explore. One theme is that strongly affected the film was the concept of cycling. The theme begins right from the beginning till the end.

The film begins with Mia in a traffic jam, and ends with Mia in a traffic jam, despite all the events she has been through. Near the beginning, she worked as a barista in a coffee shop. Near the end of the film, she goes to the same coffee shop, but as a customer.

The weather also cycles throughout the film, with the film beginning and ending in the winter. Despite what goes on in Los Angeles, the seasons still keep moving, along with the people.

This film was very entertaining, and the score and execution only added onto it. I recommend this to anyone who has interests in high-quality music, acting, choreography, and directing.