#365DaysOfWriting — Day 216
La La Land
Ever had that moment in life where your heart just leapt out of your body to dance?
When your feet couldn’t stay still, and your body kept moving to the sound of a special kind of music coming from within?
When nothing in life felt difficult or sad, even though the reality is otherwise?
That, ladies and gentlemen, in a nutshell, is what you’ll feel when you watch La La Land.
I’ve never felt this good while watching a film in a long, long time.
Damien Chazelle is a music student, and it shows. His use of Justin Hurwitz’s breathtaking (no other word to describe it) soundtrack, along with some genius-level editing from Tom Cross – both collaborators on Whiplash – elevate the film from ‘just another musical’ to a life-changing experience of love, life and jazz.
Oh this film is a must watch for jazz lovers.
As a lifelong fan of Miles Davis, I felt La La Land is the best tribute Chazelle could’ve given jazz. There’s a scene where Ryan Gosling’s Sebastian passionately explains to Emma Stone’s Mia what REAL jazz is all about – it’s a pitch perfect explanation, and Mia, who ‘hates’ jazz at that particular point in time, just, almost laughs it off. The usage of music otherwise is a master stroke – Chazelle fills every frame with musical notes when necessary, but also knows when to pause and give complete silences. Absolute command over his craft.
Speaking of lovers, Ryan and Emma have sizzling chemistry.
I know it sounds like a tired cliché, but honestly, these two look so good together. How can you know when a pair has good chemistry? When even the things left unsaid say so much. Their little furtive glances at each other, the sly laughs, Mia’s big, expressive eyes, Seb’s charming half-smile, the finger touches in a dimly lit theatre – this movie, most of it, would work even without a word of dialogue. Damien Chazelle owes his lead pair. It’s hard to visualise anyone else in these roles. I’ve heard rumours that Miles Teller turned down the role of Seb – thank God for that.
This film also teaches us an important lesson – never take half-measures.
Whether it’s in life, or love, or music – no matter what you do, give it your 100%. It doesn’t matter what route you take to achieve your dream, as long as you give 100% to achieve it. Chazelle has taken no half measures with La La Land – it is his uninhibited, extraordinary love letter to films, to jazz and to love itself! Right from a jaw-dropping opening sequence to the heart-tugging final scene, Chazelle acts as a conductor having fun, waving his baton exquisitely, creating broad musical strokes, and yet, knowing when to bring his orchestra to a complete standstill, allowing the film, and its characters to take centrestage.
Excuse me, while I resume tap-dancing. Do yourselves a favour. Go watch La La Land. It deserves your time and money. I STILL feel so good…
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