La La Land
Matt Crosby

Review by Matt Crosby Patron

La La Land 2016

★★★★

Rewatched 04 Jan 2022

Can’t help but feel like this is the type of thing that makes guys like Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson nostalgic for the Los Angeles from 50 years ago…and to a lesser extent me, even if I never experienced it. This is permanently cemented in my mind as the movie that was announced as Best Picture winner and then had to explain to the audience that Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway got it wrong and Moonlight actually won. One of the most mortifying moments of my life. I didn’t really feel invested in that particular award for 2016 and liked Moonlight just as much, but bringing the whole crew up and getting through a couple of speeches, just to have it ripped away…I still haven’t recovered.

Despite that, La La Land is this vivacious, charming movie that’s mostly carried by the two leads. As a musical, it’s this unique blend of tongue-in-cheek and homage that just works. I don’t love every second. While I agree that it’s noble to pursue your dreams, the scene where Emma Stone’s character is berating Ryan Gosling’s character for making a fine living in a moderately successful band, instead of opening a jazz club, is infuriating.

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