La La Land is a one of a kind sensory experience

If you haven’t seen La La Land yet, don’t be fooled by the magical, musical, romantic sense its rushes evoke. It is all that, to be sure. But it is far more than that. The heart and soul of the film is the relationship between a couple struggling in their respective creative fields. The female protagonist Mia, played by the emotional powerhouse Emma Stone (fast becoming my favourite), is a wannabe actor in Hollywood who is desperately working towards her big break. The male protagonist is Ryan Gosling’s Sebastian, a jazz music artist, with the dream of opening a Jazz bar, while he takes on gigs that don’t exactly speak to his soul. 

While the both of them find their own personal version of their La La Land, where their dreams come true, reality always comes with a twist as some dreams necessarily need to be foregone to achieve others. La La Land, can thus leave you wondering about life’s big philosophical questions. And leaves you, with a lump in your throat. It is a tremendously moving film, with a climax that could turn you into slush. 

This is in no small part thanks to the wonderful acting. Emma Stone has more to emote, as her character deals with one rejection after another, expresses light hearted joy during her times with Sebastian, copes with her loneliness and finally finds her satisfied bliss. Her capacity to bring out her most vulnerable parts and put them out there with dramatic, and yet understated intensity is one of a kind. Ryan Gosling has less to do, but sometimes less is truly more. He plays the part of Sebastian to perfection, giving him commitment and kindness, even with its limited emotional or verbal expression.

The atmosphere of the film is a character in itself that lends more richness, colour and beauty to the story than perhaps any other film in recent times. There are some scenes that deserve a special mention, like the couple’s dance among the stars, which is really just a metaphor for their inner state as they feel the first rush of a new romance. And then there is the final montage, parts of which are crafted with so much care, it is heart breaking. And then there is the music, which has so much variety, and yet to comes together to significantly raise the entire sensory experience that is La La Land.

But even without the entire visual experience of the film, there is enough in the story to hook you to it because of its earthy relatability. Anyone who has made hard choices in life will relate to it. Anyone who has tried and failed will relate to it. Anyone who has tried and succeeded will relate to it. Anyone who has loved and lost will relate to it.

I had skipped watching La La land when it was first released in theatres, and despite it getting good reviews. Just couldn’t get myself to watch another pretty, romantic musical. But the record breaking number of Oscar nominations made me curious enough about it. Even though the film has a slow start, and truly pulls you in only by the second half, it is more than worth the trouble to take yourself to the movie hall and treat yourself to this lovely creation.

Fem Thoughts: It is always great to watch a film with strong female characters, especially if they are also unabashedly strong, ambitious and driven. La La Land gets a thumbs up.