It would be fair to say that I have already expressed my dislike for expressive dance sequences in films (see https://ollystanilandsfilmstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2020/09/03/curfew-shawn-christensen-2012/). Therefore, it would also be fair to say that I had some hesitation about enjoying La La Land. This meant that I didn’t go into the film with an open mind. Incidentally, this lead to one of my favourite phenomenons when viewing a film, where my enjoyment levels increased exponentially as the action progressed.
It goes without saying that I struggle to find an abundance of meaning in some of the dance sequences. At the moment I’m leaning towards suggesting that they are used to condense long pieces of exposition into shorter segments; however, this might not be the case and I personally don’t find emotion in this form of expression. In other words, it’s style over substance (for my taste). When the action did follow a coherent plot that was very much set in reality, I enjoyed the interplay between Seb and Mia and I found their relationship to be believable and engaging.
With that said, it is necessary to mention how much I enjoyed the ending of the film. It played on my dismissal of the dream-like dance sequences to really question to what extent is love a viable force in hindering personal goals. Not only that, it made me think more deeply about how Chazelle subverts the entirely expressive elements to evoke happiness, with a much more somber realisation that Mia and Seb are destined to be apart. I thought this was really effective as an ending because it caught me completely by surprise.
Another thing that stood out to me was how timeless the film felt. With the fleeting references to pop-culture, e.g. Casablanca, you really can’t place the film in a particular era. Additionally, the costumes and architecture remained non-descript, seeming both unreal and ubiquitous. This is particularly interesting because it suggests that Chazelle believes that love (the primary theme) transcends the boundaries of time. This implies that the film’s message will remain critical and relevant for generations.
I also found myself questioning why Chazelle chose to portray the fallacy of movies on-screen. We see casting meetings, film sets and movie-stars, so La La Land really feels like it contains a film within itself. I believe that by doing this, Chazelle attempts to disregard the idea that his film is a piece of written and manufactured fiction, instead presenting a highly stylised movie world to take on this role. In this regard, the main values from La La Land seem much more relatable and attainable.
When all is said and done, I really enjoyed La La Land. Even though I don’t think I will change my opinion of dance sequences any time soon, Chazelle certainly encouraged me to think more deeply about having an open-mind when going into a film. For me, certain preconceptions can cloud my enjoyment of a film but Chazelle does a great job of playing off of my expectations and presenting something different. The sudden change of narrative perspective about 20 minutes in caught my attention, which skyrocketed from that point onwards.
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