La La Land has been one of the most critically acclaimed films of recent years in Hollywood, and with its 265 nominations and 112 awards, as well as a record-tying 6 Oscar awards, the movie has truly swept the public off its feet. Many critics have discussed why this film has received all this fame while others on social media have called it their favourite ‘horror movie’. And yet, no one seems to answer the question: Why is La La Land considered a masterpiece?
The movie has always been praised for its protagonists: Mia and Sebastian. Both these characters are dreamers with a love for art. Whether it is music or theatre, their ambitions and goals in art are what drive and motivate both characters to success but are also what ultimately drives them apart. Mia is an aspiring actress who embodies the difficulties of the competitive film industry. Despite her struggle, Mia still goes to every audition she finds until she reaches a turning point in her career with her one woman show. As she evolves from someone unsure in her abilities to a confident actress, Mia becomes a symbol of dedication and strength. Sebastian is a musician who dreams of opening his own jazz club. Despite his aspirations, Sebastian compromises his integrity to join a pop band for a steady income. Through this, Sebastian becomes a representation of the dilemma between passion and practicality and the struggle of balancing dreams with reality. Together, Mia and Sebastian challenge and push each other to follow their dreams and ambitions but it pulls them in separate directions. This makes the two protagonists relatable, complex characters that are easy to root for.
Another aspect of the movie is its cinematography. In the film, the cinematography is used to make statements and create a tension between fantasy and reality - mirroring the contrast between the characters’ dreams and their harsh conditions. As a homage to classical Hollywood movies, La la land uses bold primary colours as symbols as well as tools to create a dreamlike, magical atmosphere. Blue, the colour Mia wears during her auditions, represents dreams, aspirations and melancholy. Red is the colour of passion and romance and is mostly seen in takes involving the relationship between Mia and Sebastian. Finally, yellow is used as a symbol of hope and optimism: it tends to feature in the background of Mia’s scenes to foreshadow the bright future she has ahead of her. Moreover, many sequences and scenes are filmed in single, fluid takes to create a sense of elegance and further resemble old Hollywood cinema. In addition, La la land cleverly incorporates lighting to switch between realistic and dreamlike scenes. For instance, when Mia is working in her coffee shop, harsh, natural lighting is used, whereas romantic scenes feature stylised lighting to show the illusive nature of the relationship. This intelligent and purposeful use of lighting and camera work engulfs the audience in the story and intensifies this tension that is presented throughout the whole movie: fantasy versus reality and how far human imagination can go before it turns into delusion.
Nevertheless, the most debated aspect of this film is its ending. Is it a happy ending? Is it a sad ending? It can be argued to be both. Most importantly, it is a realistic ending. La la land doesn’t follow the traditional ‘happily ever after’ of classical Hollywood movies. Instead, it offers a bittersweet resolution to accentuate how we are all forced to make hard decisions as well as display the undeniable force of fate. Mia and Sebastian have to choose between their love or their aspirations and decide to part ways, making the audience feel conflicted as we don’t know whether to be happy about their individual success or mourn the lost relationship. This poses a question: can success exist without sacrifices and what does it take to fulfil your dreams? Furthermore, the ending explores the ‘what could’ve been’ element with a dreamlike sequence where Mia revisits Sebastian’s club and shows their life if they had stayed together. As a result, the tragedy of the couple is intensified since it is made clear that this reality will always stay a fantasy in the back of their minds. Then, Sebastian and Mia exchange a final glance and smile. This sign of acceptance shows that just because they aren’t together doesn’t mean they are incomplete. The movie overall shows that experiences are what shape people, and what is important is the significance of the impact a person has on your life. By rejecting the conventional happy ending, the audience is left with a lingering sensation that this relationship simply wasn’t meant to be and in the real world some people are meant to shape your path, teach you a lesson then leave your life.
La la land is deep and emotionally powerful. It encapsulates the difficult choices that are essential in the real world yet also shows how dreams and ambitions can shape our personalities. It captures the audience from the beginning: from the bright colours to the bittersweet ending, the viewers resonate with the complex characters and very real experiences. And yet, what makes La la land a masterpiece? It is the ability to evoke emotions and conversations that makes this movie sensational.
Claudia Loizaga, Year 12
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