movie review la la land

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, black writers week.

Now streaming on:

Musicals made me a romantic. They taught me that some emotion is so powerful that it can’t be put into mere words—it must be sung. Some love is so overwhelming that you just have to move your feet. With a family that loved classic films, I remember being awed by Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire , thinking they were as cool as anyone in movie history. Characters in musicals not only understood love differently than those in traditional films but they turned that understanding into art—dancing, singing and transcending mere dialogue to become something greater, something purer, something closer to true romance.

We’ve had some musicals since the era of Rogers & Astaire, but few that have tried to recapture that sense of fluid, magical thinking in which characters communicate with their bodies as much, maybe even more, than they do with their voices. One of many remarkable things about Damien Chazelle ’s “La La Land” is how much energy and time it devotes to movement and music, not just lyrics. The modern movie musicals, so often based on Broadway shows, have focused heavily on songs that further plot. In Chazelle’s vision, choreography matters and a simple piano refrain can have more power than a lyric. This is a beautiful film about love and dreams, and how the two impact each other. Los Angeles is filled with dreamers, and sometimes it takes a partner to make your dream come true.

“La La Land” opens with a bit of a fake-out in that it’s a large ensemble number of a variety that we won’t really see again in the movie. Cars are stuck in the notoriously awful L.A. traffic when the drivers decide to break into song called “Another Day of Sun”—a bit about how each day brings new hope for these young wannabe artists—jumping out of the cars and dancing on the freeway. Instantly, Chazelle’s direction and the dance choreography feels different. Here, and throughout the film, he works in long, unbroken takes. You can not only see the dance moves, but you can see the dancer’s entire body when he or she performs them. And after the chorus-like introduction to a city of dreamers, we meet two such sun-gazers: pianist Sebastian ( Ryan Gosling ) and actress Mia ( Emma Stone ). Like any good musical, the two have a few false starts and playfully mock each other’s flaws in their first scenes. But we know where this is headed and Gosling & Stone have the chemistry to make us long for them to get together.

The first major centerpiece scene is a long walk between Sebastian and Mia as the sun is setting over the Hollywood Hills. They start to see similarities in one another. Mia is tired of going on worthless auditions, ones in which the producer doesn’t even look up from their phone. Sebastian holds on to an ideal version of jazz, wanting to open his own club instead of selling out and playing greatest hits for tourists. And Sebastian and Mia have a clear, instant attraction. So, even as they sing about how they’re not really a couple, and how this gorgeous night is wasted because they’re not with their true partners, their bodies tell another story with a fantastically choreographed dance number. Stone and Gosling aren’t natural singers or dancers, but they bring so much character and commitment to every movement that it doesn’t matter. They’re fluid, engaged and mesmerizing. We watch them fall in love through dance.

Of course, it helps that Gosling and Stone have the kind of star power that made so many of those classic era musicals memorable. He’s smooth and charismatic; she’s clever and beautiful. The phrase has lost most of its meaning, but these are movie stars . And, of course, they’re more than capable when “La La Land” demands greater depth, finding characters so rich that the movie would work without the music. It’s a story of artistic passion, and how easy it is to get derailed from your dream. Sometimes it takes another person to push you back on to the tracks to find it again. Gosling and Stone get these characters, finding grace in their movement but emotional depth in their arcs; Stone has never been better.

“La La Land” also exists as a very conscious ode to the allure of classic Hollywood. The pair goes to see “ Rebel Without a Cause ” (ending in one of the most magical scenes in years) and films like “ Casablanca ” and “Bringing Up Baby” are name-dropped. We have seen dozens of films that try to capture the allure of Hollywood, often with the cynical viewpoint that it will chew you up and spit you out, but Chazelle’s vision feels unique. It pays homage to musicals like “Singin’ in the Rain” and Jacques Demy's “ The Umbrellas of Cherbourg ” without every directly mimicking them.

It’s easy to let the world get you down sometimes, especially in a year like this one. It’s easy to think that dreams don’t come true, and that love only exists in movies. “La La Land” serves to remind us that movies can still be magical, and they can still provide the channel for us to see magic in the world around us. It’s not so much another day in the sun, as the characters sing in that opening number, but the dreams of the night before, the ones we wake up and try to fulfill, that keep us dancing.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

Now playing

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Robert daniels.

The Bikeriders

Under Paris

Marya E. Gates

Back to Black

Peyton robinson.

Banel & Adama

Glenn kenny, film credits.

La La Land (2016)

Rated PG-13 for some language.

126 minutes

Ryan Gosling as Sebastian

Emma Stone as Mia

Rosemarie DeWitt as Laura

J.K. Simmons as Bill

John Legend as Keith

Damien Chazelle

Cinematographer

Linus Sandgren
Justin Hurwitz

Latest blog posts

The Hard Way, Or My Way? RIP Bill Cobbs (1934-2024)

Catherine Breillat Wants You to Think About (Movie) Sex Differently

Sundance x Chicago Brings Film's Premier Festival to the Windy City

Home Entertainment Guide: June 2024

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

What's the Tomatometer®?
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Fandango at Home
Netflix streaming
Prime Video
Most popular streaming movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

A Quiet Place: Day One Link to A Quiet Place: Day One
Inside Out 2 Link to Inside Out 2
The Devil's Bath Link to The Devil's Bath

New TV Tonight

The Bear: Season 3
My Lady Jane: Season 1
Land of Women: Season 1
Orphan Black: Echoes: Season 1
That '90s Show: Season 2
Savage Beauty: Season 2
WondLa: Season 1
Zombies: The Re-Animated Series: Season 1

La La Land Reviews

Chazelle takes advantage of that vulnerability for the film’s surprising second half, and that’s when La La Land gets real.

Full Review | Jun 18, 2024

The melancholy in this film's musical sequences serves as commentary on cinema's bygone capacity to produce a unique kind of magic.

Full Review | Feb 21, 2024

This film is a celebration of “the fools who dream.” The world would be a much darker place without those fools.

Full Review | Jul 25, 2023

I was swept away by the the dazzling, joyous, smile-inducing production.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Aug 22, 2022

La La Land may seem romantic and wistful, but from the opening sequence onward it balances reality and romance, the frustrating quality of every-day life and the false allure of Hollywood.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Apr 5, 2022

When discussing the great musicals of all time, La La Land is a film that makes us dreamers remember that anything is possible. Not only can it be added to the list of greatest musicals ever made but to the top of any list as the best film of 2016.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Feb 14, 2022

Chazelle proved he's not a One Hit Wonder director and brought a huge and ambitious production to fruition, going from the austerity of Whiplash to the bombast of Hollywood musicals [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Jan 2, 2022

The Power of Love vs. White Saviors

Full Review | Oct 2, 2021

As effervescent as the finest bottle of champagne, La La Land is an intoxicating motion picture that should particularly please anyone whose heart skips a beat whenever Fred dances on the late show or Judy sings on TCM.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Aug 17, 2021

It is a simple tale told with such visual inventiveness it reminds audience the power inherent in cinema.

Full Review | Apr 13, 2021

Chazelle chose his leads well and he couldn't have known that betting on a team that had so much sizzle in the middling Crazy, Stupid, Love would fall flat when he brought them together again.

Full Review | Mar 19, 2021

A gorgeous spectacle filled with beautiful music, lights, and colors. This is the must-see movie of the year.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Feb 7, 2021

Doesn't just breathe new life into an old genre it performs CPR on it, bringing its beating heart back to vibrant life.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Feb 3, 2021

La La Land is a lovely, pleasing, and showstopping movie that should be watched on the biggest screen, loudest sound, and brightest colors as possible.

Full Review | Dec 23, 2020

A celebration of music and magic, where swelling emotions are captured by somber yet jazzy leitmotifs.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Dec 5, 2020

Features a career best performance from Emma Stone.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4.0 | Sep 13, 2020

La La Land 's biggest failing is its complacency...

Full Review | Aug 13, 2020

The clash of styles and ideas are collectively embraced. It's the balance of cheese meets whimsical. Romance meets heartbreak. An old tradition meets modern ways. A sincere heart meets good fun - and La La Land completely owns it, in its own magical way

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 17, 2020

It basks in the wonder and excitement of young love, the optimism of the dreamer, the nostalgia of classic Hollywood, and the emotion of musical fantasy.

Full Review | Original Score: A | Jul 11, 2020

It has a powerful message that lifts you from your chair, pulls you by the ears and forces you to continue with the task of fulfilling your dream. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Jul 2, 2020

La La Land Review

"city of stars, are you shining just for me".

La La Land is an ambitious premise that breaths new life into the classic Hollywood musical while also serving as a love letter to the people who chase their dreams in Los Angeles. It's a testament to Chazelle's tight script and execution of his vision through his directing that the movie works as well as it does, and Hurwitz's fantastic music is the heart of the story. While both its leads are great, Stone in particular shines as Mia. La La Land is a joyous film that doesn't veer too far into treacly sentimentality, and is worthy of the accolades it is sure to receive.

More Reviews by Terri Schwartz

Ign recommends.

YouTube Suspends Monetization on Dr Disrespect's Channel 'Following Serious Allegations'

an image, when javascript is unavailable

‘La La Land’ Review: Magical Modern-Day Musical Will Sweep You Off Your Feet

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

For the youth market, whose patience with song and dance is usually limited to short-form videos about getting into formation with Beyoncé, an old-school, feature-length musical is predicted to be a tough sell. I wouldn’t be so sure. Brilliantly written and directed by 31-year-old Damien Chazelle (the dude who did Whiplash ), La La Land does nothing less than jolt the movie musical to life for the 21st century. There’s not an ounce of Broadway fat on this love story that raises its voice and moves its feet because it has to – because its the best and maybe the only way to speak its heart. You leave exhilarated by Chazelle’s nonstop inventiveness, dazzled by the performances of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as star-crossed lovers wary of happy endings, and thrilled that they figured out how to make movies magic again. There are more momentous films this year, films geared to test our conscience ( Fences, Silence, The Birth of a Nation ) or lunge at our hearts ( Manchester By the Sea, Moonlight, Loving ). But what makes La La Land such a hot miracle is how the passion for cinema and its possibilities radiates from every frame.

In blunt description, this present-day Hollywood tale doesn’t seem revolutionary. Just wait. Stone plays Mia Dolan, an actress doing the barista thing at a coffee shop on the Warner Bros lot while waiting to be discovered so she can write and star in the kind of non-comic-book entertainments nobody makes any more. Ryan Gosling is Sebastian Wilder, a jazz man doing the piano bar thing while waiting for jazz to come back so he can open a club and play the music he wants to play. These impatient throwbacks meet on a clogged L.A. freeway, flipping each other the bird as their cars pass in the snarled morning traffic.

A word about this opening scene, so smashing that it’s headed for the cinematic time capsule: Horns blast. Agitated drivers sweat and swear. Chazelle’s camera catches a typical L.A. hellscape. Then the chaos stops. People get out of their cars and start moving to the beat of a tune called “Another Day of Sun.” The glorious songs and score are by Chazelle’s Harvard classmate Justin Hurwitz with to-die-for lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (repped on Broadway now by the wonderous Dear Evan Hansen ). The filmmaker shot the number on a closed off E-ZPass ramp connecting the freeway to downtown LA. More than 100 dancers participated; noted choreographer Mandy Moore provided the inspired moves. It took two days to shoot this euphoric screen moment that will be studied and swooned over for years to come.

As Mia and Sebastian get past their hostilities and into frisky flirting, La La Land moves all around its titular town. Mia hears Sebastian sing the jazzy, meltingly lovely “City of Stars,” a tune of his own composing that should have the Best Song Oscar in its pocket. In the Hollywood Hills, the two sway in time (“A Lovely Night”), taking their first steps toward something deeper. Sex is easy; it’s love that’s hard. Sharing a bond with the past, the two hit a revival house to see James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause ; they then head off to Griffith Observatory, featured in Rebel, to literally dance off into the stars. Shot with a poet’s eye by the great Swedish cinematographer Linus Sandgren ( American Hustle ), the film achieves a shimmering, soaring beauty.

Editor’s picks

Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history.

The bottom falls out when reality intervenes. Mia endures frustrating auditions in which casting directors yawn and punch their smartphones. Sebastian goes commercial by touring with a successful pop-jazz band, fronted by Keith (played with no-bull honesty by John Legend). As Mia and Sebastian grow apart, Chazelle moves from the buoyant cheer of vintage Hollywood musicals ( Singin’ in the Rain, The Band Wagon ) to the bittersweet refrains of Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Tellingly, the young director absorbs these influences without compromising his own identity.

Stone and Gosling are all kinds of terrific. Though hardly born to the musical genre like, say, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, these intuitive actors make Mia and Sebastian’s yearning for lyrical expression wonderfully alive and touching. They just crush it. Gosling’s acting in films as diverse as The Notebook, Lars and the Real Girl, Blue Valentine and Drive, always made me think he could do anything; now I’m convinced of it. And Stone is incandescent: Instinctively understanding she’s found the role of her career, she gives it all she’s got and makes it seem effortless. Her final number, “Audition (The Fools Who Dream),” is a plaintive showstopper. The Academy damn well better crown Stone, Gosling, Chazelle and their glorious movie with Oscar love. The sheer perfection of La La Land deserves nothing less. It sweeps you away on waves of humor, heartbreak and ravishing romance. It’s the movie of the year.

Dr Disrespect Knowingly Sent Explicit Messages to a Minor, Former Twitch Employee Says

Why is everybody talking about the hawk tuah girl, ‘oh god why’: democratic elite panic over biden’s debate performance, 'the bear' season 3 premiere, explained, late-night hosts react to presidential debate: 'this cannot be real life'.

By Emily Zemler

'Rust' Armorer Wants New Trial, Claims Prosecutors 'Buried' Gun Evidence

'Rust' Tragedy
By Nancy Dillon

FKA Twigs Rejects Shia LaBeouf's Request for Private Records Ahead of Abuse Lawsuit

By Charisma Madarang

Film and TV Crew Members Reach a Tentative Deal With Studios to Avoid Another Industry Strike

Lights, Camera, Action
By Krystie Lee Yandoli

The Sky Is the Limit for Mark Wahlberg's Unhinged Hitman in 'Flight Risk' Trailer

The Year of the Hitman
By Larisha Paul

Most Popular

Sean penn says he 'went 15 years miserable on sets' after 'milk' and could not play gay role today due to a 'timid and artless policy toward the human imagination', 'tulsa king' season 2 premiere date and teaser trailer released, kylie kelce’s heartwarming photo of her 3 daughters has fans calling one girl a ‘travis twin’, nba agent sues klutch sports, rich paul over lebron fees, you might also like, in the first presidential debate, biden floundered, while trump (let’s just say it) performed with confidence and angry flair, how tiktok fueled the ‘drop culture-ification’ of makeup, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, alamo drafthouse will reopen 6 recently-closed theaters following sony acquisition, bronny james’ marketing clout could boost round 2 draft value.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

Movie Review /
Entertainment /

La La Land review: a gloriously earnest Singin' in the Rain for the 21st Century

This is a film that doesn't pull punches on any of its big, broad emotions.

By Tasha Robinson

Share this story

Full disclosure: it is just possible that La La Land is not for you. Damien Chazelle 's follow-up to his Oscar-winning breakout film Whiplash got such rapturous responses in its early festival releases that it started to sound like a perfect movie, capable of winning over even the worst curmudgeons. (Further proof: It won over the Washington D.C. and New York Film Critics collectives, which both named it the best film of 2016.) But the early screenings were largely for a select crowd of determined festivalgoers and industry professionals who've chosen careers in making, marketing, or just talking about the movies. In other words, the people who initially saw and loved La La Land , and hailed it as 2016's likely Best Picture frontrunner, are its target audience. It's openly aimed at cinephiles who recognize the overt references to Singin' in the Rain, West Side Story , and The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg. It's meant for viewers who feel a little internal flutter when characters stroll across a studio backlot, surrounded by the accoutrements of moviemaking, then burst into song and dance.

Not everyone loves musicals, though, and La La Land won't seduce anyone who thinks The Sound of Music is grotesquely corny, or that Umbrellas of Cherbourg is some dusty old foreign film where nothing much happens. But for people who do love those movies, and the unselfconsciously joyous romantic ideals they represent, La La Land is a glorious feast for the eyes and the soul. Its complete lack of restraint, cynicism, or self-consciousness invites viewers to drop their own reservations and just feel the big, broad emotions as they're played out on-screen, through memorable songs and elaborate fantasy sequences.

The players are jazz pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and barista-slash-actress Mia (Emma Stone), two LA residents who are past ready for some kind of big break. Sebastian is a principled jazz fan who rages at any hint of compromise, and whose latest restaurant gig, dutifully plinking out aural-wallpaper Christmas carols in a classy restaurant, doesn't last long. (He's working for an equally uncompromising owner played by Whiplash Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons, in a wink-wink cameo.) But Sebastian dreams of buying a famous historical jazz club, and re-creating its glory days. Mia, meanwhile, works at a canteen on the Warner Bros. lot, dutifully enduring awful auditions and endless self-doubts.

Together, they go through all the usual rom-com motions: they meet cute, exasperate each other, and express it all with mutual needling and snappy banter. But all the biggest conflicts in a musical eventually turn into dancing, and from dancing, Sebastian and Mia segue into dating. Soon, Mia's practicality pushes Sebastian into touring with a hugely popular band, playing music he hates for a bandleader (John Legend) he considers a sellout. Meanwhile, Sebastian's reckless enthusiasm bolsters Mia into quitting her job to write and stage her own one-woman play, regardless of the consequences. Both of them are living out a certain form of the artistic dream — she's following her muse without seeking anyone else's approval, he's got a lucrative and steady gig, where doting audiences cheer for him every night. But neither of them are happy, because they're embracing each other's idea of success, at the expense of their own.

The choreography is one of the film's biggest assets

La La Land 's first act sets up Mia and Sebastian's relationship with a terrific mixture of energy and gravity, as they banter, flirt, and dance through one classically staged pas de deux after another. (Choreographer Mandy Moore has been a regular contributor on competition shows like Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance , and her mastery of tight, precision Astaire-and-Rogers coordinated movement is one of the film's biggest assets.) The story falters a bit after that, rushing some sequences, and leaping forward in time in a way that completely changes the film's tone and tempo. To Chazelle's credit, he resists the most obvious story beats, and his unconventional story sets up a powerhouse final sequence that's designed to wring maximum tears out of the audience, while letting them appreciate the cunning construction. Like Whiplash , La La Land is forceful and uncompromising about the emotions it wants viewers to feel. And like Whiplash , it uses music as an endlessly effective weapon against any possible resistance.

It also uses self-aware humor, a vivid candy-colored palette, and a series of iconic LA settings, from the Angels Flight funicular to Griffith Observatory, where Rebel Without A Cause set its most famous sequence. Chazelle is open about his references: in one of the many approving nods to Old Hollywood, Sebastian and Mia watch Rebel in a theater before heading to the observatory. In their first dance, Sebastian even does a little whirl around a conveniently placed lamppost, in a callback to Singin' in the Rain . This is a movie of hat-tips, almost more of a meta-musical than an independent story.

But that, too, was inspired by Singin' in the Rain — which was parodying Even Older Hollywood, while maintaining a heavy dose of affection for it as a more innocent and enthusiastic era of movie magic. Both films sink deep into idealization and nostalgia. And both are full of in-jokes and references, but still endlessly earnest about emotions, and enthusiastic about the physicality of dance. La La Land is essentially this century's Singin' in the Rain , from the showy dance numbers to the vividly colored costumes to the cheeky humor.

The biggest difference is that Gosling and Stone largely lack the force of personality Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds brought to Singin' in the Rain . Their voices make them odd choices for a full-scale musical: Gosling's is gravelly and shy, and Stone's is mostly the kind of high, thready whisper that earned Helena Bonham Carter so much disdain in Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd . When it's finally time for Stone to belt, she belts, and it's a wonderful moment. The thematic reasons Chazelle held her back suddenly become clear. But too much of the film's runtime leaves her in whispery, understated mode. Still, the two of them have a terrific physical presence, and they handle the demands of the dance well enough to erase uncertainty about their uncertain voices.

The giddy energy of a director coming back from a major success

It remains to be seen whether La La Land can withstand the test of time, the way its inspirations have. But Chazelle suggests he isn't interested in history so much as living in the moment, and creating something that says what he wants to say about the specific uplift of classic Hollywood musicals. The craft of La La Land is impeccable, from the energetically active camera to the staging and production design that re-creates the past without feeling dated. But there's a reckless cockiness to the production as well, an attitude that says "The audience is on our side here. We'll copy whatever we want, be as broad and unsubtle as we want, and skip ahead at random, to whatever part of the story interests us most." This is the giddy energy of a director coming back from a major success, and seizing on the freedom to play with whatever toys he wants.

There's a flippant exchange partway through La La Land where Mia worries about her one-woman show: "It feels really nostalgic to me." "That's the point," Sebastian tells her. "Are people going to like it?" she asks. And he gives her a manic grin and says "Fuck 'em." They're obviously talking more about Chazelle's production than Mia's, and in this moment, Chazelle is reminding the audience that he doesn't really care if some people in the theater aren't on board. His stars are dancing through a familiar playground, and it's enough that anyone who remembers these moves and these feelings is invited to come along for the ride.

This review originally appeared on September 14, 2016 in conjunction with the film's screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival. It has been republished to coincide with the film's wide theatrical opening.

Uber will pay you $1,000 to ditch your car for five weeks

More youtube premium plans are coming, steam is getting an official controller, but valve isn’t making it, japan’s olympic athletes will wear outfits designed to block infrared cameras, windows on arm puts intel on notice.

More from this stream TIFF 2016: the best, boldest, and most awards-ready new films

Moonlight is a beautifully nuanced gay coming-of-age tale, a monster calls is so good you won't care that you're crying, arrival is a soulful sci-fi instant classic, in loving, jeff nichols' version of history is as quiet as the real thing.

The Novelty and Nostalgia of La La Land

Damien Chazelle’s magnificent musical pays homage to Old Hollywood while fully embracing its present.

“That’s the window,” struggling actress Mia delightedly tells struggling jazz pianist Sebastian in Damien Chazelle’s La La Land , “that Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman looked out in Casablanca .” The two are on the Warner Brothers lot, where Mia works as a barista in the studio coffee shop. And the window in question is, in reality, the one featured in Casabalanca . Writer-director Chazelle discovered it after choosing the Warner lot for his shoot and he wrote the corresponding line into his screenplay.

It’s one of many joyous nods to movie history tossed off by La La Land , Chazelle’s lush and giddily musical love letter to Hollywood. But tucked within this overt reference is another, both more subtle and more apt. Look carefully, and you’ll notice that beneath the window is a shop door, and on it is stenciled a single word: “Parapluies.”

Sing Street Is a Winsome, Infectious Pop Fantasy

A French painting of a woman wearing a white corseted dress sitting on an antique bidet

The Bidet’s Revival

The shadow of a pregnant mother next to an empty crib

The Two Reasons Parents Regret Having Kids

Of the many inspirations for La La Land —Chazelle clearly knows his An American in Paris and his Annie Hall , too—none echo so loudly as Jacques Demy’s 1964 masterpiece , Les Parapluies de Cherbourg ( The Umbrellas of Cherbourg ), as well as its lesser sibling, Les Demoiselles de Rochefort . Demy memorably described Umbrellas as “a film in color and song,” and one would be hard pressed to find a phrase better suited to La La Land .

Song and color are evident from the very first scene, which opens with a traffic jam on the L.A. freeway. Cars are crammed motionless, bumper to bumper, with each occupant listening to his or her own music. Intentionally or not, it’s a perfect dramatization of the much-derided opening line of Bret Easton Ellis’s Less Than Zero : “People are afraid to merge on freeways in Los Angeles.”

Yet merge they do, thanks to Chazelle’s cinematic magic. A woman in a battered Chevy begins singing to herself and steps out of her vehicle. She is followed by another driver, and another. The musical number continues expanding until dozens of commuters are on the roofs and hoods of their cars, singing, dancing, performing flips and skateboard tricks, and celebrating, en masse, “Another Day of Sun.”

And then it’s over, as quickly as it began. The music stops, the spontaneous revelers return to their cars, and traffic begins to move. Or at least most of it does. A distracted Mia (Emma Stone) is still stopped in her Prius, practicing lines for an audition. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), stuck behind her in his Buick convertible—this being Los Angeles, cars define character—honks angrily. As he pulls around her, she gives him the finger. Ah, love.

Nor is this the last time the duo will meet-uncute. Following a soulless party in “one of those big glass houses” in the hills (though one enlivened by another spontaneous musical number), Mia stumbles upon Sebastian playing piano in a restaurant and is entranced. But Sebastian—who has just been fired for straying from the approved holiday song list—brusquely shoulders past her on his way out the door.

It’s not until their third chance encounter that affection begins to bloom. And even this meeting is bookended by Mia making fun of Sebastian’s participation in an ’80s cover band—moral: never ask a self-described “serious musician” to play A Flock of Seagulls—and by the two soft-shoeing their way through a song expressing their mutual lack of romantic interest: We’ve stumbled on a view that’s tailor-made for two. What a shame the two are you and me. (With apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella —Mia even takes off her party shoes—the song is titled “A Lovely Night.”)

But the seeds have been sown. Soon Mia is showing Sebastian the Casablanca window and he is taking her to Rebel Without a Cause at the Rialto—and, afterward, to the Griffith Observatory itself, where the two will literally dance their way up into the stars. Los Angeles is rarely portrayed as a prime venue for romance. But in Chazelle’s hands it quickly earns its standing as the subject of another Mia-Sebastian duet, “City of Stars.”

The two lovers will, of course, face compromise and conflict: between love and their respective showbiz dreams, and even over the precise nature of those dreams. Sebastian, especially, grapples with questions of commercial success versus remaining true to the classic jazz of which he is an ardent apostle. Happy endings can be hard to achieve, even in the movies.

La La Land is Chazelle’s third film, following Whiplash and his little-seen musical debut, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench —the latter’s protagonists named after two characters in Umbrellas of Cherbourg —and to describe it as a breath of fresh air is both accurate and insufficient. Just 31 years old, Chazelle has reinvigorated the big-screen musical by embracing the present while paying tribute to the past, by balancing irony and innocence, novelty and nostalgia. At one point in the film, Sebastian is asked, “How are you going to be a revolutionary if you’re such a traditionalist?” La La Land itself provides an answer.

There are knowing winks scattered throughout the film: the clone-like actresses who show up for every audition; the studio gasbag envisioning a franchise based on Goldilocks (“There’s a lot we don’t know. There could have been a fourth bear”); the out-of-towner explaining the superiority of his state-of-the-art home cinema setup (“You know theaters these days. They’re so dirty…. And there are always people talking”). But such gentle tweaks aside, La La Land is suffused with a love of moviemaking so profound it tingles.

This is the third time Stone and Gosling have appeared onscreen as lovers, following Crazy, Stupid, Love and the best-forgotten Gangster Squad , and their chemistry has never been more palpable. Stone, in particular, with her huge eyes and expressive mouth, finds moments of intimate connection with the camera amid the otherwise delirious hubbub.

Chazelle and cinematographer Linus Sandgren shot the film in extra-wide CinemaScope, allowing the camera to pan and twirl as if perpetually curious to discover what delights might lurk just outside the frame. The songs and score, by customary Chazelle collaborator Justin Hurwitz, are not quite indelible but they are nonetheless lovely. And while neither Stone nor Gosling is a professional-level singer or dancer, Chazelle does not pretend that they are. Their voices are unmodified and their dance sequences—like all the musical numbers—are shot in long takes rather than chopped and edited into fine shards of perfection. It’s an unusual choice but one that pays dividends, adding a layer of reality to the cinematic fantasy.

Indeed, it’s a strange thing to say about a movie that opens with a massive dance number on the L.A. freeway, but at its best, La La Land sneaks up on you: the moment, after a party, when Sebastian surreptitiously turns back to get his car after walking Mia to hers; a sunset stroll on a pier jutting into the Pacific; that immeasurably important moment when two people hold hands in a movie theater for the first time. “It’s love,” Mia sings in “City of Stars,” “yes, all we’re looking for is love from someone else.” Indeed it is. La La Land is a reminder of why they make movies. And why, despite dirty theaters and people always talking, we go to see them.

Review: ‘La La Land,’ with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, breathes new life into the movie musical

Justin Chang reviews ‘La La Land,’ directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Video by Jason H. Neubert.

Copy Link URL Copied!

There’s a scene in the often-captivating new musical “La La Land” that sums up, in miniature, what writer-director Damien Chazelle is trying to pull off. It isn’t the opening dance number on a jammed Los Angeles freeway interchange, or the surreal extended homage to “The Band Wagon” and “Singin’ in the Rain.” It’s a simple conversation in a jazz club between two beautiful young artists — a pianist named Seb (Ryan Gosling) and an actress named Mia (Emma Stone) — who find themselves in the blissful early stages of love.

Their romance has begun on a rude, unpromising note: a blast of road rage (ah, L.A.!) followed by a not-so-friendly brief encounter. But in classic screwball fashion, their early animosity has given way to a powerful mutual attraction — one that carries some of the deep, improvisatory feeling of Seb’s favorite music. As saxophones wail and cymbals clang in the background, he defends the tradition of Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong with passion, erudition and righteous indignation: “They say jazz is dying on the vine, and the world says, ‘Let it die, it had its time.’ Well, not on my watch.”

The intensely protective love that Seb feels for jazz is more or less what Chazelle feels for the big-screen musical. After directing two movies, “Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench” (2009) and “Whiplash” (2014), that played with the possibilities of the form, this prodigious 31-year-old talent has emerged as an ardent and imaginative champion of an under-appreciated, seemingly antiquated popular art form — one that he nevertheless believes still has many glory days ahead of it.

Starting, hopefully, with this movie. Extending his collaboration with the composer Justin Hurwitz, who penned the score and songs (with lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul), Chazelle has assembled a vibrant, infectiously hummable pastiche of musical and cinematic styles — an entrancing ode to the glories of cinema past as well as a heartfelt expression of faith in the medium’s future.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star in “La La Land.”

The result is, by any reasonable measure, one of the loveliest things you will experience in a theater this year. Much of this is because of the incandescent star wattage of Stone and Gosling, pulling off their third and finest screen collaboration after two Los Angeles-set romantic pairings — “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “Gangster Squad” — that tried, in wildly different ways, to reanimate the spirit of classic Hollywood.

In contrast with those ensemble efforts, the focus here is entirely on the two leads, their desires and personal aspirations. Mia, a Nevada transplant, both feeds and frustrates her visions of Hollywood stardom by working as a barista on the Warner Bros. studio lot. Seb encourages her to write and star in a one-woman show, even as he stalls his dreams of running his own jazz club by joining a popular and thoroughly soulless R&B group.

From there the movie, skipping lightly between cliché and archetype, tells a familiar yet diverting story of persistence, compromise and hard-won professional triumph. Most of the jokes and setups in Chazelle’s screenplay are a series of cheeky riffs on contemporary L.A. life, where young people brave the smog and the traffic, shuttling between fruitless auditions and humiliating part-time gigs.

While the dialogue teems with snappy 21st century phrasings (listen closely for a sly reference to “world building”), the most meaningful beats of Seb and Mia’s love story play out not through spoken words, but through the singular, soulful alchemy of song and dance. To watch Stone and Gosling break into a spontaneous tap routine against a pink-hued Hollywood sunset, or waltz in mid-air against a starry replica of the Griffith Observatory’s famed planetarium, is to be reminded anew of how rarely they make ’em like they used to.

That’s not to say that “La La Land,” for all its real and indelible movie magic, fully sustains itself over the course of two fast-moving hours. Chazelle sets the stage magnificently, with a bright, candy-colored assist from production designer David Wasco and costume designer Mary Zophres. Cinematographer Linus Sandgren and editor Tom Cross have absorbed all the right lessons from the MGM musical canon; even some of the non-dance sequences play out in anachronistically long takes, all the better to see the actors’ bodies moving through space.

But despite the considerable aesthetic brio on display, there also are specific choices and flourishes — a too-obviously dubbed lyric, an overly punch-drunk swirl of the camera — that, to borrow a phrase from “Whiplash,” may not be quite your tempo. Some of the more elaborate set pieces seem more audacious in their conception than in their execution, as if Chazelle’s studied formal mimicry were somehow keeping him from pulling out all the stops. For a movie that all but demands that you swoon into its arms, “La La Land” doesn’t always seem to know exactly how to surrender to itself.

These may be lapses of vision or technique, but they are also a clear testament to the extraordinary reach of Chazelle’s ambitions. On one level, “La La Land” is a brash, knowing tribute to the heyday of 1940s and ’50s studio filmmaking; you get a splash of Stanley Donen here and a daub of Vincente Minnelli there, all capped by a sly wink to Frank Capra.

But Chazelle also is chasing the sweetly melancholic rapture of the French New Wave master Jacques Demy, whose Michel Legrand-scored ’60s classics, “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” and “The Young Girls of Rochefort,” set the rhythm for this movie’s dreamy mélange of the lyrical and the everyday. Finally, the director is trying to synthesize all these cherished traditions into a form that speaks and sings to a young, post-“Glee” audience, whose diet of big-screen musicals has largely been confined to Disney cartoons and prestige Broadway adaptations like “Les Misérables” and “Into the Woods.”

Given that “La La Land” is about two creative types struggling to find their way in an industry that slams the door at every turn, it’s no surprise that the movie suffers its own intermittent crises of identity — a very millennial-era conundrum that helps illuminate the nature of Chazelle’s achievement. As Mia and Seb figure out who they are and what kind of art they want to pursue, so “La La Land” gradually finds its own graceful footing.

This image released by Lionsgate shows Ryan Gosling, right, and Emma Stone in a scene from, "La La Land." (Dale Robinette/Lionsgate via AP)

There is, to be sure, plenty of fancy footwork at the outset — starting with that traffic-stopping overture, “Another Day of Sun,” which puts its own L.A. spin on the sweeping outdoor ballet popularized by the likes of “Rochefort” and “West Side Story.” With its chorus of multiethnic bodies leaping through the brisk steps of Mandy Moore’s car-hopping choreography, this sequence also pays tribute to the city’s diversity in a way that, it should be noted, the rest of the movie only fitfully matches (a prominent supporting role for John Legend as Seb’s bandleader notwithstanding).

A similar critique was leveled by some against “Whiplash,” which treated a historically African American art form as a psychological battleground for two angry white men — a valid complaint that was somewhat mitigated by the actors’ blazing chemistry. (J.K. Simmons, who won an Oscar playing the music instructor from hell, makes an amusing cameo here as a jazz-hating philistine.) And so it is with “La La Land,” which may fail as a piece of musical sociology, but which wisely keeps Mia and Seb’s romance — and their romance with the city — firmly in the foreground.

Dotted with palm trees and Priuses, Chazelle’s L.A. is a cheeky simulacrum of the real thing, where the diets are mostly gluten-free and pool parties happen all year long. But it is also an enchantingly retro fantasyland, where Mia writes her play on a pad of paper instead of a laptop, and where a few plot points might have been rendered moot by a properly functioning cellphone.

In keeping with the old-timey vibes, Chazelle delights in throwing a spotlight on his characters — a timeless, expressionistic gesture that elevates their personal reveries to the level of the sublime. The glory of “La La Land,” it turns out, isn’t in those big, would-be-showstopping numbers. It’s in the intimate, quavering grace notes: the sound of Seb whistling his way through a minor-key nocturne (“City of stars, are you shining just for me?”), his thin, lilting voice eventually joining Mia’s as they giggle and harmonize their way through an impromptu duet.

Stone and Gosling are not the second coming of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, or Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, and the movie doesn’t require them to be. In scene after scene, Chazelle seems to grasp the authentic essence of who these actors really are in a way that few other directors have managed.

Gosling’s charm has always been predicated on a measure of self-mockery, an awareness of his own ridiculously dreamy beauty, and his performance here is a marvel of sly one-liners and raised eyebrows as well as smoothly executed glissandos. Stone, looking radiant in bold primary colors, has her adorably goofy side as well, which makes her piercing emotional depth catch you all the more unawares: She combines the steely comic directness of a latter-day Barbara Stanwyck or Carole Lombard with the sort of heart-melting honesty that cuts right through all the shimmering layers of artifice.

“Here’s to the fools who dream,” Stone sings in her climactic number. And for at least one splendid, soaring moment, “La La Land” finally casts caution aside and makes proper fools and dreamers of us all.

------------

‘La La Land’

MPAA rating: PG-13, for some language

Running time: 2 hours, 8 minutes

Playing: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood; AMC Century City 15, Century City; and the Landmark, West Los Angeles

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour »

Movie Trailers

Review: ‘Horizon,’ Costner’s western, is drab, overindulged tedium. Ready for 7 more hours of it?

June 27, 2024

Two women and a man smiling at each other while sitting on a set of risers

The ‘Lilo & Stitch’ children’s choir reflects on its 20-year Hawaiian roller coaster ride

Aug. 25, 2022

Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in the movie "Kinds of Kindness."

Review: ‘Kinds of Kindness,’ made by a filmmaker desperate to seem cool again, tests cultdom and patience

June 21, 2024

Only good movies

Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Justin Chang was a film critic for the Los Angeles Times from 2016 to 2024. He won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in criticism for work published in 2023. Chang is the author of the book “FilmCraft: Editing” and serves as chair of the National Society of Film Critics and secretary of the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Review: ‘Green Border’ is an unflinching look at Poland’s migrant crisis, one with global resonance

Bill Cobbs smiling broadly in a taupe suit and greenish-brown fedora

Bill Cobbs, character actor known for ‘Demolition Man’ and ‘The Bodyguard,’ dies at 90

Agnieszka Holland, director of "Green Border", poses for a portrait at Film Forum in New York on Friday, June 21, 2024.

She made an honest movie about Poland’s migrant crisis. That’s when her problems began

June 26, 2024

Joey King, Nicole Kidman & Zac Efron Photo by Nino Muñoz courtesy of Netflix

‘A Family Affair’ is a rom-com ‘dream scenario’ for Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Joey King

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

For Parents
For Educators
Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

Get the app
Movie Reviews
Best Movie Lists
Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best TV Lists
Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for TV
Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book Reviews
Best Book Lists
Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Game Reviews
Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Podcast Reviews
Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

App Reviews
Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

YouTube Channel Reviews
YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

How to Help Kids Spot Misinformation and Disinformation

Family Tech Planners
Digital Skills
All Articles
Latino Culture
Black Voices
Asian Stories
Native Narratives
LGBTQ+ Pride
Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Common sense media reviewers.

Profound, beautiful film about love and creativity.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Though some may use the word "dreamer" a

Mia is kind, authentic, and determined to achieve

Arguing; aggressive middle-finger gesture given in

Kissing; a couple wakes up together in bed.

Some use of words including "f--k" (once

A few glimpses of brands/products, including Sony,

Social drinking by adults.

Positive Messages

Though some may use the word "dreamer" as a slur, don't let it get to you. Without dreams, we don't have achievements. Also: Love doesn't take a straightforward path; it often ends -- and begins -- in unexpected places. And it shows itself in many ways.

Positive Role Models

Mia is kind, authentic, and determined to achieve her dreams. Even in the face of failure, she finds a way to right herself and keep going. Sebastian is a caring person who's driven by a singular dream for himself. He's also happy to support Mia's goals. Together they share a passion for making their art and for being kind and giving to each other.

Violence & Scariness

Arguing; aggressive middle-finger gesture given in traffic jam.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Some use of words including "f--k" (once), "s--t," "hell," "damn," "goddamn," and "a--hole."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A few glimpses of brands/products, including Sony, Korg, Toyota, Apple.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that La La Land is a beautiful, moving romantic musical set in modern-day Los Angeles, with the feel of old-time Hollywood. It stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and has plenty of frothy, whimsical moments, plus messages about integrity, love, and following your dreams. But it also tackles material that may be too heavy for younger viewers, including underemployment, feeling lost in the early years of your career, questioning your abilities, and fighting to stay in the moment while searching for your purpose. Expect some swearing (including one use of "f--k"), as well as social drinking, kissing, and characters waking up in bed together. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (44)
Kids say (175)

Based on 44 parent reviews

This is one of the accurate reviews on Damien Chazelle's masterful film.

What's the story.

Written and directed by Damien Chazelle , LA LA LAND centers on Mia ( Emma Stone ), an actress still waiting for her break, and Sebastian ( Ryan Gosling ), a brilliant jazz pianist who dreams of opening up his own club where great jazz musicians will make beautiful music and patrons will learn about and celebrate the art form. After repeatedly running into each other in a Los Angeles that's presented in full old-school Hollywood glory, they succumb to the inevitability of their love affair. But they soon discover, as many young lovers have before them, how challenging it is to maintain a relationship even as you try to find your place in this world. J.K. Simmons , Rosemaire DeWitt and John Legend co-star.

Is It Any Good?

For a film that starts with a slightly campy musical number that could alienate viewers just as easily as charm them, this romance sure makes the leap to greatness quickly. Within minutes of that song, it's apparent how different La La Land is, starting wth Stone, who inhabits Mia so fully that even though she's a successful actress portraying a struggling one, we forget she's acting. Even when she breaks into song, it's rooted in a place so convincing that it almost makes sense she'd be communicating in melody. Her joy feels lke music; her sadness feels like a lament. Gosling is perhaps a little less striking, but not for lack of charm or authenticity; ultimately, he holds his own. And, paired together, they're the star-crossed lovers that a film like this richly deserves.

Beyond the chemistry of its stars and a brilliant score, La La Land has the one element that's essential to a nearly perfect movie: a script that manages to take a well-worn theme -- boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl discover that loving someone doesn't solve everything -- and make it feel new. And not just new, but also heartbreakingly wise (we can't say much more for fear of spoilers). La La Land is also an ode to Los Angeles; the city unfurls in all its Technicolor glory. Perhaps the look and feel are what bring out the melancholy in the film's story. You need light to find the darkness -- and the darkness to appreciate what's bright. La La Land will take your breath away and break your heart, even as it helps you find an even deeper capacity for love.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how La La Land tackles the idea of finding your purpose in life -- and figuring out how to get there. Do you think everyone has a specific purpose?

How does the film characterize love? Is it realistic? How does it compare to other movie romances?

How do the characters demonstrate integrity , empathy , and perseverance ? Why are those important character strengths ?

Movie Details

In theaters : December 9, 2016
On DVD or streaming : April 25, 2017
Cast : Emma Stone , Ryan Gosling , J.K. Simmons
Director : Damien Chazelle
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Lionsgate
Genre : Romance
Character Strengths : Empathy , Integrity , Perseverance
Run time : 126 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : some language
Awards : Academy Award , Common Sense Selection , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner
Last updated : June 20, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

The Notebook

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

(500) Days of Summer

Romance movies, romantic comedies, related topics.

Perseverance

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Screen Rant

La la land review.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

A Quiet Place: Day One Review - John Krasinski's Horror Franchise Has Officially Overstayed Its Welcome

Bill skarsgård's the crow official rating has more intense warnings than brandon lee's 1994 version, the hunger games: sunrise on the reaping faces the same stakes problem as the last prequel, la la land makes for damien chazelle's most technically-accomplished love letter to music yet, as well as the filmmaker's most poignant work..

Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress who works as a barista on the Warner Bros. studio lot, in-between attending whatever film and TV show auditions are made available to her. Over a series of months, Mia has multiple encounters - some more awkward than others - with Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz pianist who yearns to open a jazz club of his own, but mostly spends his days barely making ends meet, working one-off gigs. The pair gradually begin to form a relationship as they connect with one another over their passions and dreams, proving to be kindred spirits despite their initial differences.

Before long, Mia and Sebastian have properly fallen in love and begin living a life together, even as they continue to pursue the dreams that brought them to Los Angeles in the first place. However, as the pair experience mixed success and disheartening failure alike in their efforts to reach for the stars, they begin to wonder if what they're really chasing are just pipe dreams - and if that includes a future where they're still together.

Emma Stone gazes at Ryan Gosling longingly the way we all would in La La Land.

The third feature-length directorial effort from writer/director Damien Chazelle, La La Land carries over the musical genre throwback elements of Chazelle's debut film Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench and combines them with the dynamic filmmaking techniques from his drama/thriller Whiplash - further exploring those movies' shared themes about the nature of jazz music and the realities of what it takes to pursue a career in the performing arts. La La Land is also more of an unabashed homage to old-fashioned Hollywood musicals that peaked in popularity around the mid-20th century than Guy and Madeline ; the film is similarly more bittersweet when it comes to examining how people's paths can take them in unexpected directions, compared to Whiplash 's darker outlook towards the subject. In turn, La La Land makes for Damien Chazelle's most technically-accomplished love letter to music yet, as well as the filmmaker's most poignant work.

La La Land succeeds from the get-go (with its old-fashioned titles and show-stopping opening musical number, "Another Day of Sun") at establishing its setting as a heightened version of modern Los Angeles - one that's brought to life through the lively camerawork and rich color palette embraced by Chazelle and cinematographer Lindus Sandgren ( American Hustle ). The film avoids being excessively nostalgic in the way it recreates the style and atmosphere of the Hollywood musicals that inspired it by integrating modern technological conveniences and the realities of life in the real-world version of La La Land/LA today (traffic jams, expensive housing) into the proceedings - often intruding upon song and dance numbers, in order to bring them back down to the "real world". This also gives the film an interesting thematic throughline about the difficulties of finding a balance between preserving/revering the past and keeping up in a constantly changing world.

La La Land 's exploration of tradition vs. innovation extends to its narrative structure - one that adheres to the form of a Gene Kelly musical in particular, yet manages to subvert certain plot/character tropes commonly associated with the type of (musical) love story being told here. Chazelle similarly avoids making La La Land come off as a kitschy salute to old-fashioned musicals by carefully handling the film's tonal shifts from scene to scene. This allows La La Land to smoothly transition from overtly satirical scenes (taking digs at the current state of Hollywood) to sequences that are wide-eyed romantic and/or even quietly heartbreaking (especially in the third act), inbetween enchanting musical sequence that boast great choreography from Mandy Moore and songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Helping to sell the film's love story are Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, whose chemistry is strong as ever in La La Land - following their work together on the rom-com Crazy, Stupid, Love and the period crime drama Gangster Squad . Both actors impress with their singing and dancing abilities (and, in Gosling's case, piano playing), allowing Chazelle to further showcase their talents through the frequent use of extended takes and long shots. Stone is the standout of the pair; delivering an emotionally rich performance (as a wannabe star) that's full of charm and vulnerability, whether she is singing her heart out or just making small talk. Gosling's character - a jazz aficionado who somewhat fancies himself to be a potential savior of the art form - is less compelling and has more of a conventional arc by comparison, but Gosling's performance is strong enough to compensate for these (slight) shortcomings.

La La Land is first and foremost the Gosling and Stone show, though the film's supporting cast is peppered with great character actors who pop up for a memorable scene or two - among them, Chazelle's Oscar-winning Whiplash actor J.K. Simmons as Sebastian's (sorta) boss, as well as Rosemarie DeWitt as Sebastian's sister Laura. John Legend also does fine work in a key supporting turn as Keith, Sebastian's old acquaintance and fellow musician, while Los Angeles itself is portrayed as a hotbed of diversity (as it should be). Every song/dance number in the film is full to the brim with talented performers too, thus further ensuring that these musical sequences are unanimously entertaining to behold - whether you stay focused on what's happening in the foreground or let your eyes drift to the background, throughout them.

Anchored by the two great performances from its leads, terrific musical numbers and stylish direction, La La Land is a proper crowd-pleaser and a heartfelt salute to old Hollywood that harkens back to the past in order to create something fresh and exciting - rather than wax nostalgic about history. Those who have seen Whiplash in particular may be all the more surprised by how Chazelle uses similar filmmaking techniques on La La Land , but to very different effect and context. This suggests that the film's director, similar to La La Land itself, has a strong handle on how to keep one foot in the past, while still looking ahead and moving into the future. Our recommendation: go ahead and take the trip to Chazelle's version of the City of Stars.

La La Land is now playing in U.S. theaters. It is 128 minutes long and is Rated PG-13 for some language.

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments section!

Written and directed by Damien Chazzelle, the romantic musical La La Land tells the story of Seb Wilder (Ryan Gosling) and Mia Dolan (Emma Stone), a jazz musician and an aspiring actress pursuing their respective dreams in Los Angeles. The pair meet and fall in love, sharing their passions and hopes with one another as they become closer. J.K. Simmons, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Finn Wittrock appear in supporting roles.

Movie Reviews
4.5 star movies

La La Land Review

La La Land is getting a gala at the London Film Festival

13 Jan 2017

128 minutes

Pure unadulterated joy is in short supply these days, both on the big screen and off. Which makes Damien Chazelle’s irresistible La La Land all the more cherishable. More than just a throwback to MGM musicals, it is a funny Valentine to the entire history of the genre, as light on its feet as Fred Astaire, as big in its heart as Judy Garland. Just as Chazelle’s Whiplash was intense, La La Land , especially in its first half, is footloose (not Footloose ) and fancy-free, buoyed by a clutch of great new songs (take a bow Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) and carried by the chemistry of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.

It’s hard to imagine any 2017 movie will leave you on a higher high.

The movie gets a lot of flavour from its twisted heritage. It is a US indie do-over of a French New Wave take on a classic American genre, part New York, New York , part The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , part Singin’ In The Rain . A bigger-budgeted upgrade on Chazelle’s musical short Guy And Madeline On A Park Bench , the story — aspiring actress Mia (Stone) meets jazz pianist Seb (Gosling), and sparks fly until career aspirations get in the way — is simplicity itself, enlivened by some Pulp Fiction -esque narrative tricksiness. The film’s capricious genius is present in its opening sequence. On paper, the idea of an LA freeway traffic jam bursting out into song and dance sounds up there with root-canal work but here, as a solitary singer snowballs into the world’s best flash mob perfectly captured by Chazelle’s sinuous camera, it’s a riot of colour and euphoria. Subsequently Chazelle fully embraces the corny (Mia and Seb literally dance among the stars, at the Griffith Observatory or singing under streetlights), but for all the film’s love of retro, it’s not dusty. Chazelle’s staging (check out the 2:52: 1 ultra-widescreen) and wit make the vintage feel new.

Much of this bright, shiny quality is also down to its leads. Following pairings in Crazy Stupid Love and Gangster Squad , Stone and Gosling have chemistry and charisma to spare. It would be easy to diminish Mia as a bright-as-a-button type, but Stone spools through many colours, from luminous to spirited to distraught — her wistful rendition of ballad Audition (The Fools Who Dream) (written for the film) will be murdered by X Factor contestants for years to come.

If Stone is the film’s heart, Gosling is the soul, caught between art and commerce, as moody as the genre will allow (he is also not afraid to look ridiculous, playing A-ha on a keytar). The pair are not the world’s greatest dancers but they are having so much fun doing it, you will too.

It’s perhaps a tad overlong and, embroiled in the indie drama of Seb and Mia’s relationship, almost forgets to be a musical during the final third. But this doesn’t detract from the film’s mighty charms. A film about love made with love, it’s hard to imagine any 2017 movie will leave you on a higher high.

The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring

Movies | 23 01 2022

Movies | 08 02 2023

Movies | 02 12 2020

Movies | 15 04 2020

TV Series | 27 02 2020

Movies | 16 07 2019

Movies | 30 05 2019

Movies | 06 05 2019

A Second Look at ‘La La Land’: Why It’s Not Just Good, But Great

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

In the First Presidential Debate, Biden Floundered, While Trump (Let’s Just Say It) Performed With Confidence and Angry Flair 2 hours ago
‘Maxxxine’ Review: Mia Goth Fights the Hollywood Power in Ti West’s Retro- ’80s Schlock Sex-and-Horror Thriller. It’s Fun at Times, but It’s No ‘Pearl’ 2 days ago
Remembering Donald Sutherland: From Cool in ‘MASH’ to Sexy in ‘Don’t Look Now’ to Tragic in ‘Ordinary People,’ He Was a Chameleon, and the Most Human of Movie Stars 1 week ago

“ La La Land ,” in theory, is a movie that needs no explanation. The simplest thing you could call it is “an old-fashioned musical” — which means, of course, that it’s a big colorful splashy cornball swoon of a movie, one that traffics in the kind of billboard emotions (Love! Sadness! Joy!) and timeless Hollywood forms (Singing! Dancing! A Lavish Freeway Production Number Done In One Unbroken Take!) that can hit audiences like a sweet shot to the heart. That’s the beauty of it, right?

Yet “La La Land” isn’t just old-fashioned. It’s the new-fangled version of a sprawling Tinseltown classic. It’s Old Hollywood meets Jacques Demy meets “New York, New York” meets postmodern indie backlot passion. It’s a grand Los Angeles epic that features “mainstream” sentiments, but it’s also a subtle and idiosyncratic journey that’s almost entirely unpredictable. (Half an hour before it ends, you’ll have no idea where it’s going.) It’s Boy Meets Girl meets the precarious freedom of 21st-century love. It truly is a romance, but it’s also about what it takes to be an artist in a world that may or may not believe in art anymore.

Popular on Variety

There’s a challenge built into the film’s structure. Okay, so you’re sitting there watching “La La Land.” You’ve seen Mia ( Emma Stone ), a plucky but desperate barista-slash-actress (that hidden underlayer of anxiety is where the potency of Stone’s performance begins), and Sebastian ( Ryan Gosling ), a retro-obsessive jazz pianist with a real snob edge to him, meet and square off, bicker like alley cats, do a soft-shoe against the magic-hour L.A. carpet of urban lights, and sing a song (in that same sequence) about how they don’t like each other — which, of course, is the moment they start to like each other. Finally, they go on a date to see “Rebel Without a Cause,” which ends with the two of them heading from the Rialto Theater to Griffith Observatory, where they enter the planetarium and are lofted, in the headiness of their romance, right up to the stars.

That moment is the climax of an intoxicating journey into the sweetness of old-movie love, and it ends with an iris shot right out of a silent film: the image closing down into a tiny circle against the darkness. You’re about an hour into the film — and what you don’t realize, yet, is that that’s the fading moment of its confectionary studio-system daydream aesthetic. From here on in, no more nifty choreographed numbers. No more dancing on air. The glorious sprawling freeway jam that opens the movie? You won’t see another sequence like it. This is all by design, but to go with the flow of “La La Land,” you have to drift for a long time, in the second half, into a very different mood: downbeat, contemporary, a place where production numbers — with their promise of instant mood enhancement — have gone away. You have to realize that you’re now watching…

…a Jacques Demy movie. And here’s what that means. To make “La La Land,” Chazelle drew — in form and spirit — on two celebrated French musicals directed by Jacques Demy in the ’60s: “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” (1964) and “The Young Girls of Rochefort” (1967). There’s a lot you could say about those films — one thing I’ll say right up front is that I’ve never actually been wild about either of them — but they have a doleful wistful quality that’s strikingly and soulfully European. “Umbrellas” is the better of them, and the more radical achievement: Every line of it is sung, but it’s a pop operetta of the everyday, with lyrics that sound like conversation (a lot of them don’t rhyme), and it tells a story that throws you for a loop: It’s about a girl (Catherine Deneuve) who works in her mother’s umbrella shop, the mechanic (Nino Castelnuovo) she’s in love with, and what happens when he goes off to join the military. The two pledge their love to each other, but then…it fades. Why? Lots of reasons, but the real reason is that love, in “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” is a delicate and nearly arbitrary thing, a bit like the weather. (The film opens with a summer rain and ends with a cold snow.)

I’ve always had two essential feelings about “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.” One is that it has the single most haunting theme song in the history of motion pictures (and I really mean that). The opening sequence, which consists of nothing more than an aerial view of a bunch of people walking under umbrellas accompanied by… that song , can reduce me to a blubbering baby in about 45 seconds. The music, by Michel Legrand, is grand. And so, believe it or not, is the wallpaper . (Most dazzling wallpaper in a movie. Ever.) But the story, as it unfolds, is…strange. Nearly philosophical in the frosty abstraction of its melancholy. The final scene is two people who were once in love running into each other for the first time in many years, and neither of them bats an eye. Which is supposed to demonstrate something. I confess, though: I’ve never gotten it. And I don’t buy it.

But I buy “La La Land,” which takes what’s great about the Jacques Demy musicals — the formal daring, the sweet sadness, the willingness to portray love as a highly imperfect thing — and restores the faith that Demy replaced with a forlorn shrug. “The Young Girls of Rochefort” is probably a more direct stylistic influence on “La La Land”: crowds of people in ordinary dress erupting into song and dance along a roadway, a fusion of MGM and new-wave naturalism. Yet what Chazelle ultimately got from Demy was a feeling, a lush open-endedness: the idea that the ultimate stylized romantic movie form — the musical — could contain a love story about people who drift apart as much as they come together. It’s the same life-goes-on notion that Woody Allen played with in “Annie Hall,” and in “La La Land” Chazelle does it full justice. As much as Jacques Demy (no, I’ll say it: better than Jacques Demy), he made a poetic fantasia about the way old-fashioned love fits into the new-fashioned world. Of course, it helps that he has a co-creator who provided…

The greatest original songs ever composed for a contemporary movie musical. Just think about “Singin’ in the Rain.” There are so many things that make it (arguably) the most sublime big-screen musical of all time, but take away the title song, and you don’t have the full magic. Even the quintessential image of Gene Kelly sashaying through puddles comes at us through those indelible musical notes. The melodies that Justin Hurwitz composed for “La La Land” have that rare kind of luscious defining earworm tastiness, and not to take away from Damien Chazelle’s wizardry, but if the songs weren’t that good , the movie wouldn’t be either.

Everyone will have his or her favorite. The one that’s currently being pushed for the Oscars, “City of Stars,” is my third or fourth favorite. It’s an exquisitely mournful yet seductive number (and the image of Ryan Gosling, with his ordinary-guy croon, singing it to two middle-aged strangers on the Hermosa Beach Pier is one of the film’s most memorable), but I actually prefer the electric infectiousness of the film’s opening mambo, “Another Day of Sun,” which played in my head for three months after I first heard it, and the great “Audition (The Fools Who Dream),” the song sung by Emma Stone in which the film’s emotions of love and loss fuse into its theme: that those who live to create are flaky, difficult, moonstruck, maybe somewhat mad beings who cause distress through their passion — yet the world needs them like oxygen. The song comes at the end of the lengthy detour “La La Land” takes away from singing-and-dancing exuberance, and that’s part of what makes it a deliverance. We’re back in old-musical Heaven! When Emma Stone sings “Here’s to the hearts that ache, here’s to the mess we make,” it has a dramatic/musical/spiritual impact equal to that of Liza Minnelli singing the title number of “Cabaret.” It is that gorgeous, that heartbreaking, that uplifting, that amazing. Stone’s performance is timeless — I have never noticed more the way her large almond eyes evoke Charlie Chaplin — and what reverberates right off the screen is the lilt of that melody. It’s a miracle of melancholy perfection.

That’s another reason “La La Land” gets better the second time you see it: You now have those songs in your system. And why should it be otherwise? Great pop songs don’t necessarily hit us with their ultimate force the first time we hear them; often, on the radio, they kick in that second or third or fourth time. In my own second experience with “La La Land,” I felt like I melted, all the more, into the story those melodies were telling. And I do mean melodies (though the lyrics are lovely). What I heard the second time is how Justin Hurwitz constructed the songs out of bits and pieces of the same musical motifs, so that they flow in and out of each other and merge; it’s really a unified song suite. By the end, the music has become a character in the film (which may be why there are so few actual supporting characters). Just watch the scene near the end where Mia is seated in the nightclub and Sebastian, on stage, sits at the piano and plays, very slowly, with one hand, those notes. Da da da da da da…daaa. Those simple seven notes tell the entire story we’ve been watching.

Then there’s the “Whoa, I didn’t expect that !” ending. Instead of a shoot-the-works production number, “La La Land” culminates in a shoot-the-works piece of alternate reality: Call it “That’s Entertainment!” by way of Charlie Kaufman. Mia, in that club, imagines the life that she could have had if she’d remained with a certain person (or is it his fantasy? or both of theirs?) — and the first time I saw the film, it looked, quite simply, like scenes-from-a-road-not-take. But on second viewing, I saw that this rapid-fire home-movie hallucination is something more: It’s the very movie we would have been watching had “La La Land” simply been the delectable old-fashioned musical we think, for an hour or so, it is. The incandescence of “La La Land” is that while it isn’t that movie, it contains that movie, and it leaves us in a bittersweet swoon over the happy endings we long for that can no longer be, because they’ve all been replaced by the beautiful mess we make.

More from Variety

‘jelly’s last jam’ review: pasadena playhouse production brings a too-rarely revived classic jazz musical back to rousing life, regulators shouldn’t blow the whistle on venu sports just yet, ‘confessions of a good samaritan’ review: penny lane delivers a documentary essay on altruism and its discontents, ‘bad shabbos’ review: an interfaith couple survive a sabbath meal they will never forget, new bundles point to broadband’s growing power in svod packaging, ‘kinds of kindness’ star jesse plemons explains why he missed accepting cannes best actor prize and what he loves about working with yorgos lanthimos, more from our brands, clairo drops another gorgeous single ahead of forthcoming lp ‘charm’, the world’s largest carbon-fiber sailing catamaran could be yours for $19 million, bronny james’ marketing clout could boost round 2 draft value, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, jon stewart mocks biden and trump after first debate: ‘both of these men should be using performance-enhancing drugs’ (watch), verify it's you, please log in.

Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission.

La La Land Salutes, and Updates, the Hollywood Musical

In his review of Damien Chazelle’s debut feature, the audacious microbudget 2010 musical Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench , the critic J. Hoberman wrote , “As an exercise in orchestrated time, each and every movie aspires to the state of music; those actually set to music are closest to their medium’s essence.” I can envision that sentence blown up and framed on Chazelle’s bedroom wall, maybe next to a poster of Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. The romantic musical La La Land, the director’s third feature (following Whiplash ), is the closest thing since Cherbourg to a unified-field theory of music and film. The moving camera extends the songs (most by Justin Hurwitz) into space. The colors of the sets and costumes hum with their own distinctive frequencies. The actors carry the music in their gait, their gestures, the rhythms of their speech, so that their singing and dancing is a small but exquisite step up from the way that they normally talk and walk. To rhapsodize about La La Land is to complete the experience. You want to sing its praises, literally.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are the leads, meeting onscreen for the third time. Their first encounter, in Crazy, Stupid, Love , is memorable for the scene in which Stone is justifiably stunned by the sight of Gosling with his shirt off, laughing: “Seriously? It’s like you’re Photoshopped.” About their second affair, in Gangster Squad , the less said the better, though it’s a nice moment when police sergeant Gosling beholds Stone — a gangster’s moll in a dress slit way high — and cracks, “Who’s the tomato?” In La La Land, Gosling is a prickly, wiseacre jazz pianist named Sebastian, Stone a tremulous aspiring movie star named Mia. They meet cute in an L.A. traffic jam when she gives him the finger for stalling, but their first real chords are struck much later, when she’s passing a supper club and is drawn in by the sound of his playing. She sees him, the people in the restaurant fade away, and suddenly it’s just a boy and girl in twin spotlights.

That might sound campy, but Chazelle doesn’t wink at the audience and neither do the actors. The characters are so in-the-moment that the moment needs to swell to accommodate their feelings. After trading barbs at a Hollywood pool party (he’s a hired keyboardist), Sebastian and Mia stroll to a lookout over L.A., where, against the twinkling lights and violet sky, they’re so superhumanly gorgeous that they have to sing and dance, you know? Their song is called “A Lovely Night,” and Chazelle shoots it in one long take because that’s all you need. Gosling’s voice is thin but somehow very pleasing, while Stone’s is breathy but full and sweet. They’re not Astaire and Rogers — their dance steps are rather simple — but the elements gel and the number is magic.

My God, does the camera worship these two. Stone’s coloring — red hair, blue eyes, pale skin — just pops, and costume designer Mary Zophres makes her more vivid yet in bold, flouncy green and yellow and blue dresses. Production designer David Wasco adds complementary hues and an occasional neon sign to point up Stone’s wattage. Chazelle’s framing illuminates the pair’s insane chemistry. Tall and floppy and physically uninsistent, Gosling can settle too comfortably into his own adorableness. But you can’t be that self-involved opposite Stone. She’s too present. She knocks Gosling out of his sleepy tempos and makes him a great romantic-comedy hero.

And also, at times, an angry antagonist. La La Land finally centers on the conflict between Hollywood dreams and the reality of making art — not to mention a living in show business. The music stops (the needle actually comes to the end of a vinyl record) when Sebastian presses Mia to come with him to Boise, where he’s playing with a high-paying jazz-rock outfit. She shrugs him off: She has to stay in L.A. and finish an autobiographical monologue. For the writer-director of Whiplash, pursuing your art can mean pouring acid on the ties that bind you to other human beings. But Chazelle finds the melodic thread again in a bittersweet final fantasia that’s like nothing I’ve ever seen — a musical tour de force.

Inapt words are going to be used to describe La La Land, like pastiche and homage. It’s more than that. In one scene, Sebastian plays a record of a jazz pianist while sitting next to his own piano. He listens to a phrase, stops the record, and reproduces it. Then he does it all again. He’s slavishly imitating — but for the sake of getting inside the head of an artist he loves. That’s what Chazelle has done with musicals like The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and A Star Is Born and Singin’ in the Rain. He has learned their language, found their spark, and made their form triumphantly his own.

*This article appears in the November 28, 2016, issue of New York Magazine.

ryan gosling
damien chazelle
movie review
new york magazine

Editor’s Picks

Most Popular

What is your email.

This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.

Sign In To Continue Reading

Create your free account.

Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:

Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)

As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York , which you can opt out of anytime.

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

DVD & Streaming
Comedy , Drama , Musical

Content Caution

In Theaters

December 9, 2016
Ryan Gosling as Sebastian; Emma Stone as Mia; John Legend as Keith

Home Release Date

April 25, 2017
Damien Chazelle

Distributor

Movie review.

The City of Angels is also the City of Broken Dreams.

Every barista hopes for stardom. Every backstreet-bar musician imagines making it big. Los Angeles is home to soaring, heavenly hopes … and to crushing disappointment when dreams die. And the difference between those two outcomes can perch on the knife edge of fate.

Mia is an aspiring actress (working, of course, at a coffee shop on a movie studio lot). Auditions are many. Call backs are few. And beautiful competitors lining up for the roles she hopes to land? Well, they’re as infinite as the stars in the sky.

Sebastian, meanwhile, is a virtuoso jazz pianist. But he doesn’t crave fame. His dream? To restore a famed jazz club in L.A. to its former glory. Except, well, no one really listens to jazz anymore. And even the people who do—like his friend Keith, who wants him join his more contemporary jazz fusion band—don’t play old-school tunes anyway.

So there they are: Mia killing time making lattes and writing a one-woman play she hopes to stage; and Sebastian pondering the surprisingly lucrative compromise that accepting Keith’s offer represents.

But in Los Angeles (and in the movies), struggling dreamers rarely struggle alone. So it’s not long before Mia and Sebastian’s paths cross in this old-fashioned musical, a song-and-dance-filled love letter to Hollywood’s Golden Age (albeit with a few content nods to the 21st century).

Mia and Sebastian fall in love. But what happens to their budding romance when their dreams actually begin to come true?

Positive Elements

La La Land is a deeply romantic, lighthearted throwback that turns on the tension between two artists being drawn together by their mutual affection and simultaneously pulled apart by the success they find. The film doesn’t make any grand philosophical statements, but it does suggest that sometimes life forces us to make choices between pursuing a relationship and pursuing our vocational dreams.

Sebastian (rightly) senses that Mia’s mother doesn’t think much of him or his plan to open a jazz club. He’s motivated to take the gig with Keith in part because it pays well and will offer the couple more stability. Sebastian also goes to great lengths to help Mia get a part in the movie (albeit one that ultimately places huge strain on their relationship).

In a conversation with his sister, Sebastian says of his longsuffering attempts to make his dreams come true, “I’m letting life hit me until it gets tired. Then I’m going to hit it back.” Sebastian simply oozes jazz, so much so that his passion for it sometimes gets him in trouble. Working as a restaurant pianist, for instance, he just can’t resist the impulse to sprinkle some jazz standbys in amid the Christmas carols he’s supposed to be playing. He knows he’ll get fired for doing so, but he does it anyway. The film frames this oppositional defiant choice as an expression of Sebastian’s integrity and romantic nature.

[ Spoiler Warning ] Mia and Sebastian eventually go their separate ways. Mia and Sebastian see each other years later, and Mia ponders what her relationship with Sebastian might’ve looked like. In the end, though, it’s clear that she’s able to remember the love that she and Sebastian shared without having it destabilize the relationship with the man she eventually marries.

Spiritual Elements

One scene pictures a church.

Sexual Content

Mia and Sebastian kiss. After she moves in with him, we see the couple in bed together (though not in a sexual way). She’s shown in a clingy nightie. We also see Mia kissing a wealthy boyfriend (before she and Sebastian get serious) with whom she obviously has little real chemistry. There’s some other kissing as well.

Mia’s shown wrapped in a towel (her shoulders are visible) after getting out of the shower. Bikini-clad women populate pool parties. Some women wear revealing outfits, including plunging tops and short dresses/skirts. An engaged couple kisses.

Violent Content

Crude or profane language.

One f-word, four s-words. God’s name is misused eight times (including two pairings with “d–n”). One use of “my lord.” Three uses of “a–,” one use each of “a–hole,” “d–n” and “p-ss.” We see two crude hand gestures.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Characters drink wine, champagne, beer, etc., in various scenes, including one at a fairly raucous Hollywood party.

Other Negative Elements

Sebastian and Mia sing a song in the famous Griffith Observatory at night. While it’s not clear that they broke in, it’s obviously after hours, because no one’s there.

La La Land features just enough content to merit its PG-13 rating and to remind us that we’re living in the 21st century. But apart from a handful of harsh profanities and a cohabitating couple, this song-filled, cynicism-free romance is about as old-fashioned as it gets these days.

Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) sing and dance, laugh and cry, then sing and dance some more. Their romance, which is always in tension with their individual dreams, dazzles and delights. A happily-ever-after ending of sorts eventually emerges, but not before we’re reminded of the potential relational costs of prioritizing our vocational dreams above all else.

The story, while not particularly deep, doesn’t rely on shock-and-awe special effects or shock-and-awe gross-out gags. Instead, director Damien Chazelle unleashes an old-school, tour de force musical, proving that that original, Oscar-worthy moviemaking— without R-rated gratuity—is actually still possible in Tinseltown.

Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

Latest Reviews

A Quiet Place: Day One

Janet Planet

Weekly Reviews Straight to your Inbox!

La La Land (United States, 2016)

La La Land , Damien Chazelle’s much-anticipated follow-up to his stunning 2014 feature debut, Whiplash , illustrates the magic that can result when a director is fully committed to a vision. Chazelle doesn’t just want to tell a story (although he does). He doesn’t just want to enrapture an audience (which he also does). And he doesn’t want to rely on nostalgia to make his story work (although it plays a big part in the overall experience). La La Land isn’t just the best made-for-the-screen musical to reach theaters in a very long time, it’s arguably the best (non-animated) cinematic musical of any kind since 1986’s delightful Little Shop of Horrors . Yes, it’s more vibrant than Chicago , more heartfelt than Les Miserables , and more successfully staged than a chorus of other contenders.

Chazelle doesn’t only love classic musicals, he loves jazz. That much was clear from Whiplash but he makes doubly sure we know it here. The male main character is a frustrated jazz musician and a key aspect of the plot involves his passing on his love of music to his leading lady. Chazelle isn’t shy when it comes to exposing the viewer to all types of jazz - from the classic style that evocates the greats to the commercially viable modern variation used to attract a younger generation. John Legend comes along for the ride as a spokesperson for the latter. When it comes to addressing the tension between the two camps, Chazelle avoids condescension as Legend brutally lays out some hard truths about why “die hards” are killing jazz by holding tight to the great men of the past rather than innovating for the future.

Chazelle requires tremendous range from his leads. They have to sing (which they do well enough) and dance (which they do better than well enough). They have to be able to handle drama and comedy. And they have to strike sparks when they look into each other’s eyes, hold hands during a movie, or kiss. These are adept actors (both are past Oscar nominees) but in this tale, chemistry is as important as acting, and there’s no deficiency there. And, although there are times when Gosling and Stone’s singing is found wanting, they occasionally surprise. (After an uncertain start, Stone nails “Audition”.) Chazelle has opted not to go the Marnie Nixon route, allowing his actors to do their own vocal stunt work, favoring authenticity over polish. (This is one area in which his approach is decidedly unlike that of his 1950s predecessors.)

La La Land offers moments of unabashed euphoria but it’s never saccharine. That’s the key to its appeal - it allows us to dance with the characters but never feels manipulative. Its dramatic moments are more genuine than is often the case in musicals. Chazelle is as interested in developing a compelling, character-based romance as he is in selling soundtracks. And, although not all the songs are instantly memorable, at least two of them (Mia’s theme, “Audition”, and Sebastian’s theme, “City of Stars”) linger. They aren’t generic songs that get lost in a miasma of same-sounding tunes. There are five or six original compositions (music by Justin Hurwitz; lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul), none of which fall into the “instantly forgotten” category.

It seems that every Oscar season offers viewers a new musical or two. Many of these are well-produced, masterfully choreographed, and impeccably staged. None of Hollywood’s recent offerings has lifted me up with the potency and grace of La La Land , one of the year’s most effervescent samples of pure entertainment.

Comments Add Comment

Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
My Fair Lady (1964)
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Cinderella (2021)
Staying Alive (1983)
Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
Blue Valentine (2011)
Drive (2011)
Ides of March, The (2011)
Stay (2005)
Notebook, The (2004)
All Good Things (2010)
Poor Things (2023)
Superbad (2007)
Zombieland (2009)
House Bunny, The (2008)
Rocker, The (2008)
Amazing Spider-Man, The (2012)
(There are no more better movies of John Legend)
(There are no more worst movies of John Legend)

Theater & Arts
Movies & TV

Movie review | 'La La Land': Exhilarating energy whisks old-fashioned musical along to big payoff

In relationships, and in music, it's all about the timing.

So Damien Chazelle's "La La Land" is the perfect marriage of style and story - a good old-fashioned musical about the ups and downs of one love story that struggles to stay in tempo. It's also a sealed-with-a-kiss love letter to the city where it's set, and the unabashed dreamers who inhabit the environs of Los Angeles.

Written and directed by "Whiplash" wunderkind filmmaker Chazelle, "La La Land" is a meticulously crafted and choreographed musical, and Chazelle pulls out every old-school trick in the book, from the Cinemascope placard that opens the film, to camera irises transitioning into and out of scenes, to a culminating dream ballet that rivals "An American in Paris."

There's irony in the notion that an independent film would borrow so heavily from the style of a classical Hollywood studio musical, and that it feels so radical in doing so.

An exhilarating energy whisks the film along, from the meet-cute during a traffic jam on the freeway that breaks out into a soaring primary-colored dance number. Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress trying to break into the industry, while Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz-obsessed pianist. They can't stop running into each other around town, and when they finally, truly connect during a screening of "Rebel Without a Cause" (and subsequent jaunt to Griffith Observatory), everything seems to fall into place.

Yet they find themselves in step for only a time. With Sebastian on tour with his new band, headed up by Keith (John Legend), and Mia pouring herself into her one-woman show, each of the two is pulled in a different direction - one entering into the system while the other exits. Despite their obvious passion, can they make it work?

The choreography of cameras, bodies, sets and editing is so carefully crafted and perfectly placed that the missed cues of Mia and Sebastian's missed calls and late arrivals as they try to make it work almost lack the spontaneity necessary to fully buy in. "La La Land" can feel like a fluffy celebration of style over substance. But the last five minutes of the film - a nostalgic "what if" fantasy - are so thrillingly emotional that it more than earns the two-hour lead-in.

Stone is the beating heart of the film, the dogged dreamer who turns away from her passion when it hurts too much but secretly never stops hoping. Her performance has shades of an over-the-top, actressy hamminess, but it almost works for the character, who is, of course, that. It's not naturalistic; in fact, the effort shows, which in turn lays bare Mia's desperation.

Gosling is a suave and sophisticated partner, soft-shoeing in spats. If his knack for song and dance comes as a surprise, you must have missed the early '90s reboot of "The Mickey Mouse Club," where he hoofed alongside the likes of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.

As a candy-hued musical valentine to Los Angeles, "La La Land" is both a crowd-pleaser and a locals-only inside joke - title cards announce the seasons because we'd never be able to discern them by the perpetually sunny skies. But the film is universal in its themes of love, loss and ambition, and ultimately, a toast to the ones who dream.

"La La Land." Directed by Damien Chazelle. MPAA rating : PG-13 (for some language) Running time : 2:08

Movie reviews, Oscar predictions, and more!

‘La La Land’ review: Singing through dreams and disappointments

La la land heartbreakingly portrays the highs and lows of chasing dreams. though packaged as a high-energy feel-good musical, it contains poignant notes that make it great..

I didn’t like La La Land when I watched it. Frankly, I was disappointed. I was even shining off a spot in my top ten movies of the year for it. I love musicals and grew going to see Broadway shows. Singin’ In the Rain is one of my favorite movies of all time. Needless to say, I wanted to love this movie. So, when I walked out of the theater less than enthralled I was confused. I couldn’t bring myself to give it a score because I was so sure I missed something. As the week trudged on, I told people how disappointed I was in the movie. I couldn’t understand how it missed my expectations by so much.

However, then I realized that the tune stuck in my head all week were the opening notes from “Another Day of Sun,” the movie’s opening number. So, I went on Spotify and played the soundtrack. I quickly realized how much I really loved the musical’s first half. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that the second half was a narrative misstep, even though the ending stuck with me. I gave the movie a score — I won’t tell you it, but it’s low — and carried on with my post- La La Land week. Then, I saw a tweet that had the Merriam-Webster definition of the term “La La Land”:

“A euphoric dreamlike state detached from the harsher realities of life.”

I smacked myself on the head for my stupidity. I realized that I, in fact, missed something. Finally, I was able to give La La Land a proper score (spoiler: it’s a lot higher than my initial one). But let’s backtrack for a second. Damian Chazelle, who directed Whiplash, my favorite movie of 2014, set out to make a movie-musical that transported audiences back to the genre’s heyday in the 40s and 50s. Though, he was careful to balance its timeless plot with the modern issues that face the artists of our generation.

La La Land tells the story of aspiring actress Mia ( Emma Stone ). She, like so many people, followed her dreams of stardom to Los Angeles. However, she finds that success isn’t as easy to obtain as the movies say they are. We see her spend her time working at the Starbucks on the Warner Brothers’ studio lot between auditions that often don’t go well — the casting directors couldn’t care less, she’s just one of many of her “type”, someone walks in the room. However, her love for movies is what keeps her going.

On the other side of things, Sebastian ( Ryan Gosling ) has dreams of his own. He hopes to own a jazz club one day. His love of jazz runs deep. When someone tells him that they don’t love jazz, like Mia, he sets out to make them appreciate it. However, he has his own problems. Mainly, as a character later in the movie says, jazz is dying… and he has no money. He spends his nights playing Christmas carols in a restaurant under the watchful eye of the owner ( J.K. Simmons ).

The movie begins with an absolutely enthralling opening number that takes place on a freeway in the middle of Los Angeles. Yes, an actual freeway. The song, “Another Day of Sun,” perfectly sums up both the disappointment and allure of chasing dreams in a town where everyone is doing the exact same. In one magnificent take, which may possibly one of the best of all time, Chazelle sets the time and place in LA with free runners, salsa dancers, and even a trick bicycle rider in this tightly choreographed number. I don’t know how he was able to pull it off, but it is one of the most magnificent scenes committed to film this year.

As the film unfolds, we realize that Mia is still in the Honeymoon phase of living in LA. Every day is just another step towards her eventual ascension to the top. Sebastian, alternatively, believes that his true artistry is already there, but yet to be appreciated. When the two bump into each other — at first literally and then coincidentally throughout the movie — they are sure they’re not falling for each other. This is told through “A Lovely Night,” a classic Rogers-Astaire tap dance routine. However, slowly they realize that they are, in fact, falling for each other.

The first half of the movie plays out like the musicals it’s based on. However, key decisions elevate it to an even higher level. A bright primary color motif is used in the costuming throughout, which gives it a whimsical quality. That coupled with the cinematography that makes strong use of lighting and color, shows us this city where anything is possible that Mia sees. It almost feels like the movie has a rhythm all its own apart from what’s happening on screen. Thanks to editor Tom Cross, who also cut Whiplash , La La Land moves at a lighting pace. That is until we get to Summer — the movie is split up into the four seasons.

Slowly encouraging each other, Mia and Sebastian start to make moves towards their dreams. Mia, tired of waiting for her perfect part to come, starts to write a one-woman show. Sebastian, looking to raise money for his club, joins a band fronted by former classmate Keith ( John Legend ). By the time we get to this point the musical scenes start to become few. The bright colors that flooded the costumes and sets fade away. On my first viewing, this is where the movie lost me. I was confused as to why this bright and romantic musical faded away before my eyes. However, this is why the definition of “La La Land” snapped me back to reality. This was completely by design.

The difference between the two parts is stark. However, it’s essential for Chazelle to suggest that the dreamlike stupor that both Mia and Sebastian were in is gone. Reality sets in, and you know what they say about reality. As they attempt to be together and follow their respective dreams, they learn how trying balancing both is. It all comes to a head in an incredibly emotional scene that is done completely in close-up, which pushes the actors to the edge of their abilities.

It’s the distinction that I missed. Until I read the definition of the term “La La Land” I thought that the movie just made a tonal misstep. In reality, it was a genius shift from a movie about a couple’s passion for their crafts to one about alienation brought on by our generation’s attitude of never truly doing enough. La La Land is a brilliant study of an entire generation that wants to do it all. We want to be happy and successful and doing what we love. However, La La Land portrays the sad realities.

As phenomenal as the craft is — nearly every shot, beat, and set is perfect — La La Land would be a lesser movie without Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling . Gosling, who I loved in The Nice Guys earlier this year, again proves his comedic ability. However, it’s his interplay with Stone that makes him great here. He’s there to support her. After all, at a certain point, this becomes her movie. But who is Ginger Rogers without Fred Astaire? Stone, on the other hand, gives one of the best performances of the year and makes it look easy. From perfect comedic timing to crushing the film’s 11 o’clock number, she is an emotional powerhouse. She proves that she is one of the best actresses of our generation. Their partnership and chemistry makes you swoon and then breaks your heart.

La La Land isn’t going to be for everyone. Some are going to be expecting a straight musical like I did or not completely buy the walk and talk sequences. However, the magic of the on-screen musical will hook you from the beginning. At its core, it’s a romance for our generation. Passion, love, dreams, disappointments, and alienation are its themes. But it never tries to be bigger than it is. Like all the great romances, it starts with the central couple. Mia and Sebastian’s love is one that they need at that time and place. However, like so many modern lovers, the timing never seems right. While La La Land is escapist entertainment for a good chunk, its greatest parts lie in the realities, while not harsh, that plague our dreams. But hey, here’s to the fools who dream.

More movies, less problems

Mikey Madison in Sean Baker's Anora, which premiered in competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Hey! I’m Karl . You can find me on Twitter here . I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic .

💌 Sign up for our weekly email newsletter with movie recommendations available to stream.

Karl Delossantos

Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.

Karl Delossantos https://smashcutreviews.com/author/karldelogmail-com/ 12 Years A Slave Movie Review — A Beautiful, Unflinching Film
Karl Delossantos https://smashcutreviews.com/author/karldelogmail-com/ 2014 Oscar Nominations: Snubs and Surprises
Karl Delossantos https://smashcutreviews.com/author/karldelogmail-com/ 2014 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture (Updated 2/16)
Karl Delossantos https://smashcutreviews.com/author/karldelogmail-com/ 2014 Oscar Predictions: Best Director (Is Alfonso Cuarón a Lock to Win?)

6 thoughts on “‘La La Land’ review: Singing through dreams and disappointments”

Pingback: 2017 Oscar Predictions: Best Actress | Smash Cut Reviews
Pingback: "Hell or High Water" Movie Review: A modern western with four great lead performances | Smash Cut Reviews
Pingback: 2017 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture | Smash Cut Reviews
Pingback: Final 2017 Oscar Nominations Predictions | Smash Cut Reviews
Pingback: 8 Best Romantic Movies of the Decade | Smash Cut Reviews
Pingback: "Sing Street" Movie Review: A fun musical romp with an emotional punch | Smash Cut Reviews

Comments are closed.

Cast & crew
User reviews

Kinds of Kindness

A man seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop questions his wife's demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning, and a woman searches for an extraordinary individual pro... Read all A man seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop questions his wife's demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning, and a woman searches for an extraordinary individual prophesied to become a renowned spiritual guide. A man seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop questions his wife's demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning, and a woman searches for an extraordinary individual prophesied to become a renowned spiritual guide.

Yorgos Lanthimos
Efthimis Filippou
Jesse Plemons
Willem Dafoe
19 User reviews
95 Critic reviews
71 Metascore
1 win & 3 nominations

Cheval Barman

Collectibles Appraiser …
Collectibles Appraiser 2
Mr.Smith's Secretary
Cheval Bar Piano Player
Recoiling Woman in Cheval Bar
Police Chief

Female Police Officer
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

The Big List of Summer Movies

More like this

Did you know

Trivia The film tells three separate stories with the cast playing different characters in each. But in an interview with We Need to Talk About Oscar, the editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis said, there's one actor plays the same character in all three stories who connects them in a strange way.

User reviews 19

Jun 5, 2024

The 2024 Festival Films You Need to Know

When was Kinds of Kindness released? Powered by Alexa
June 28, 2024 (United States)
United States
United Kingdom
Merhamet Hikayeleri
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Element Pictures
Searchlight Pictures
See more company credits at IMDbPro
Jun 23, 2024

Technical specs

Runtime 2 hours 44 minutes
Black and White
Dolby Digital

More to explore

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘land of women’ review: eva longoria and carmen maura in apple tv+’s palatable comfort-food family portrait.

After her husband runs afoul of loan sharks, a New Yorker flees with her elderly mother and teenage daughter to her family's ancestral Spanish home in this new series.

By Angie Han

Television Critic

Share on Facebook
Share to Flipboard
Send an Email
Show additional share options
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest
Share on Reddit
Share on Tumblr
Share on Whats App
Print the Article
Post a Comment

The characters on Land of Women are, generally speaking, not having a great time. Gala ( Eva Longoria ) is a posh New Yorker who’s just discovered that her feckless husband ( James Purefoy ‘s Fred) is $15 million in the hole to loan sharks. Fearing for her life, she flees to rural Spain with her teenage daughter, Kate (Victoria Bazúa), and mother, Julia ( Carmen Maura ). Neither of them are thrilled to have their lives upended at a moment’s notice, and once there, they’re only temporarily out of danger anyway.

THR Newsletters

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Jon stewart, cnn panelists react to trump-biden debate: “this cannot be real life”, racquel chevremont joins ‘real housewives of new york city’ season 15, what critics are saying about ‘the bear’ season 3, ‘the boys’ boss on landing that surprise a-list cameo, ‘daily show’ veterans decry loss of clip archive after comedy central website gutted: “s**t ain’t right”, amc nabs silicon valley drama from ‘succession,’ ‘better call saul’ alum.

IMAGES

Movie review: 'La La Land' is one of the best films of the year
Movie Review: LaLa Land is a Fun Time At the Movies, But Ryan Gosling
Movie Review: ‘La La Land’
Movie Review: La La Land
Movie Review: La La Land
Review

VIDEO

Did you know this about LA LA LAND?
All you need to know about LA LA LAND (2016)
Why La La Land is perfect
After Credits
"Someone in the Crowd" La La Land SONG REACTION!!!

COMMENTS

La La Land movie review & film summary (2016)
In Chazelle's vision, choreography matters and a simple piano refrain can have more power than a lyric. This is a beautiful film about love and dreams, and how the two impact each other. Los Angeles is filled with dreamers, and sometimes it takes a partner to make your dream come true. "La La Land" opens with a bit of a fake-out in that ...
La La Land
Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/15/21 Full Review Ashton B "La La Land" starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, and many other A-list Actors, is an absolute must watch ...
Review: Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone Aswirl in Tra La La Land
Directed by Damien Chazelle. Comedy, Drama, Music, Musical, Romance. PG-13. 2h 8m. By A.O. Scott. Dec. 8, 2016. It starts with a traffic jam, a sweltering ribbon of frustration on a Los Angeles ...
Film Review: 'La La Land'
Film Review: 'La La Land'. In his first film since 'Whiplash,' Damien Chazelle stages a lavish song-and-dance musical that dares to swoon the old-fashioned way, with Ryan Gosling and Emma ...
La La Land
La La Land is a lovely, pleasing, and showstopping movie that should be watched on the biggest screen, loudest sound, and brightest colors as possible. Full Review | Dec 23, 2020. Mike Massie Gone ...
La La Land Review
Posted: Dec 2, 2016 10:52 am. La La Land is a joyous filmgoing experience, a musical brimming with optimism that never becomes treacly, ably directed by Whiplash's Damien Chazelle and featuring ...
Peter Travers: 'La La Land' Movie Review
'La La Land' doesn't just resurrect the musical - it reinvigorates the movies. Read Peter Travers' four-star review of the best film of 2016.
La La Land review: a gloriously earnest Singin' in the Rain for the
La La Land is essentially this century's Singin' in the Rain, from the showy dance numbers to the vividly colored costumes to the cheeky humor. The biggest difference is that Gosling and Stone ...
La La Land (2016)
La La Land: Directed by Damien Chazelle. With Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Amiee Conn, Terry Walters. While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist and an actress fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.
The Novelty and Nostalgia of La La Land
Happy endings can be hard to achieve, even in the movies. La La Land is Chazelle's third film, following Whiplash and his little-seen musical debut, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench—the latter ...
Review: 'La La Land,' with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, breathes new
Starting, hopefully, with this movie. Extending his collaboration with the composer Justin Hurwitz, who penned the score and songs (with lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul), Chazelle has ...
La La Land Movie Review
Parents need to know that La La Land is a beautiful, moving romantic musical set in modern-day Los Angeles, with the feel of old-time Hollywood. It stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and has plenty of frothy, whimsical moments, plus messages about integrity, love, and following your dreams. But it also tackles….
La La Land
Sep 1, 2016. [Chazelle's] soaring, romantic, extremely stylish and endlessly inventive La La Land is that rare beast: a grown-up movie musical that's not kitschy, a joke or a Bollywood film. Instead, it's a swooning, beautifully crafted ode to the likes of Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and Stanley Donen's Singin' in the Rain.
La La Land Review
La La Land is first and foremost the Gosling and Stone show, though the film's supporting cast is peppered with great character actors who pop up for a memorable scene or two - among them, Chazelle's Oscar-winning Whiplash actor J.K. Simmons as Sebastian's (sorta) boss, as well as Rosemarie DeWitt as Sebastian's sister Laura.John Legend also does fine work in a key supporting turn as Keith ...
La La Land
La La Land is a 2016 American musical ... Chazelle was moved by the tradition of 1920s city-symphony films, such as Manhatta (1921) and Man with a Movie Camera (1929 ... The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 91% based on 471 reviews, with an average rating of 8.7/10. The website's critical ...
Movie Review: La La Land
Movie Review: La La Land Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in a lush new kind of movie musical. Kurt Loder | 12.9.2016 10:30 AM
La La Land Review
La La Land Review. Following a soulless LA party, wannabe actress Mia (Emma Stone) meets frustrated jazz pianist Seb (Ryan Gosling) in a bar. The pair get together and their future looks set ...
'La La Land' Even Better on Second Viewing
A Second Look at 'La La Land': Why It's Not Just Good, But Great. " La La Land ," in theory, is a movie that needs no explanation. The simplest thing you could call it is "an old ...
La La Land Salutes, and Updates, the Hollywood Musical
Salutes, and Updates, the Hollywood Musical. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in La La Land. Photo: Dale Robinette/Courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment Inc. In his review of Damien Chazelle's debut ...
La La Land
Positive Elements. La La Land is a deeply romantic, lighthearted throwback that turns on the tension between two artists being drawn together by their mutual affection and simultaneously pulled apart by the success they find. The film doesn't make any grand philosophical statements, but it does suggest that sometimes life forces us to make choices between pursuing a relationship and pursuing ...
La La Land
La La Land (United States, 2016) December 08, 2016. A movie review by James Berardinelli. La La Land, Damien Chazelle's much-anticipated follow-up to his stunning 2014 feature debut, Whiplash, illustrates the magic that can result when a director is fully committed to a vision. Chazelle doesn't just want to tell a story (although he does).
Movie review
In relationships, and in music, it's all about the timing. So Damien Chazelle's "La La Land" is the perfect marriage of style and story - a good old-fashioned musical about the ups and downs of ...
'La La Land' review: Singing through dreams and disappointments
ADVERTISEMENT. The movie begins with an absolutely enthralling opening number that takes place on a freeway in the middle of Los Angeles. Yes, an actual freeway. The song, "Another Day of Sun," perfectly sums up both the disappointment and allure of chasing dreams in a town where everyone is doing the exact same.
Kinds of Kindness (2024)
Kinds of Kindness: Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. With Yorgos Stefanakos, Margaret Qualley, Jesse Plemons, Fadeke Adeola. A man seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop questions his wife's demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning, and a woman searches for an extraordinary individual prophesied to become a renowned spiritual guide.
'Land of Women' Review: Eva Longoria in Apple TV+ Spain-Set Dramedy
Once the family has arrived in La Muga, the crime-thriller plot machinations take a back seat to a sun-dappled fantasy of small-town life, cut with tart humor and some minor soap operatics.
Land of Women Review: Eva Longoria Dramedy Needs to Relax
Land of Women premieres Wednesday, June 26th on Apple TV+. Kaitlin Thomas is an entertainment journalist and TV critic. Her work has appeared in TV Guide, Salon, and Gold Derby, among other places.

Movie Reviews

Brian Tallerico

Now playing

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

The Bikeriders

Under Paris

Marya E. Gates

Back to Black

Banel & Adama

La La Land (2016)

Cinematographer

Latest blog posts

The Hard Way, Or My Way? RIP Bill Cobbs (1934-2024)

Catherine Breillat Wants You to Think About (Movie) Sex Differently

Sundance x Chicago Brings Film's Premier Festival to the Windy City

Home Entertainment Guide: June 2024

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Email not verified

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

La La Land Reviews

La La Land Review

In This Article

More Reviews by Terri Schwartz

‘La La Land’ Review: Magical Modern-Day Musical Will Sweep You Off Your Feet

Peter Travers

Editor’s picks

Dr Disrespect Knowingly Sent Explicit Messages to a Minor, Former Twitch Employee Says

'Rust' Armorer Wants New Trial, Claims Prosecutors 'Buried' Gun Evidence

FKA Twigs Rejects Shia LaBeouf's Request for Private Records Ahead of Abuse Lawsuit

Film and TV Crew Members Reach a Tentative Deal With Studios to Avoid Another Industry Strike

The Sky Is the Limit for Mark Wahlberg's Unhinged Hitman in 'Flight Risk' Trailer

Most Popular

Verify it's you

La La Land review: a gloriously earnest Singin' in the Rain for the 21st Century

Share this story

Uber will pay you $1,000 to ditch your car for five weeks

More from this stream TIFF 2016: the best, boldest, and most awards-ready new films

The Novelty and Nostalgia of La La Land

Recommended Reading

Sing Street Is a Winsome, Infectious Pop Fantasy

The Bidet’s Revival

The Two Reasons Parents Regret Having Kids

Review: ‘La La Land,’ with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, breathes new life into the movie musical

More to Read

Review: ‘Horizon,’ Costner’s western, is drab, overindulged tedium. Ready for 7 more hours of it?

The ‘Lilo & Stitch’ children’s choir reflects on its 20-year Hawaiian roller coaster ride

Review: ‘Kinds of Kindness,’ made by a filmmaker desperate to seem cool again, tests cultdom and patience

More From the Los Angeles Times

Review: ‘Green Border’ is an unflinching look at Poland’s migrant crisis, one with global resonance

Bill Cobbs, character actor known for ‘Demolition Man’ and ‘The Bodyguard,’ dies at 90

She made an honest movie about Poland’s migrant crisis. That’s when her problems began

‘A Family Affair’ is a rom-com ‘dream scenario’ for Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Joey King

Or browse by category:

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Common Sense Selections for Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

How to Help Kids Spot Misinformation and Disinformation

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

A Lot or a Little?

Positive Messages

Positive Role Models

Violence & Scariness

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Products & Purchases

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Parents Need to Know