La La Land : An Ode To The Pleasure and Pain of Love!
La La Land has been talked about a lot worldwide, especially after the Oscar fiasco which happened in 2017 (lesser said the better). The public and the media have been mostly positive towards the musical-drama, with the awards being generous towards it too! However, many have proclaimed that the acclaim is “hyped” and probably it does not deserve the Oscars which it is surely gonna receive this month. But one thing is for sure – hate it or love it, you just cannot escape its irresistible finesse (imo).
Directed by Damien Chazelle, who gave us the powerful movie Whiplash, takes us to a dreamland where two struggling artists – one an actress (Emma Stone) and other a jazz musician (Ryan Gosling), fall in love. But then, their ambitions collide and the near-perfect love story hits roadblocks. So do they live happily ever after in the end?! No comments or spoilers on that, and most of you anyway know what happens!
Talking about the movie, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are a sizzling couple on-screen and their casting takes the movie to another level! Emma Stone towers over Gosling in my opinion though, with the latter being lucky to be nominated for an Oscar. I personally felt Emma Stone deserved every bit of that Oscar! Technically a great film and as was the case with Whiplash, the musical pieces have been brilliantly filmed! Colourful, peppy, vibrant and beautiful!
But deep below the texture, La La Land raises important and legit questions on the long advocated fight between ambitions and love! Can we attain our ambitions, our aims in life, or goal in life without compromising on our love life?! What is the balance in the relationship when both lovers are equally focused to achieve their career goals?! There are many a poignant moments in the film to prove how perfect the two lovers are for each other, but these protagonists choose their preferences – their career. They do love each other no doubt, but then the movie ascertains the old saying – in the path of your dreams, you may have to give up on a few dear things.
C. S. Lewis wrote, “Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing.” Many may surely disagree, but some will surely think in the affirmative! The finale has a dream sequence, on the lines of “what if” scenario, which symbolises the regrets we have sometimes in life, especially after losing our love for whatever reason. But many a times love is present and the lovers know this too, but then, what can be done about it?!
The common argument is that La La Land is so “liked” and “acclaimed” because it advocates heartbreak more than love. I say, it probably advocates the truth more than anything, in a beautiful way nevertheless! A film which deserved the Oscar more than Moonlight, any day.
Rating – 4.5/5
(My 2nd Favorite Movie of the year 2016 after “Hell or High Water“)