This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
Jack Herbert’s review published on Letterboxd:
This review may contain spoilers.
Seeing it again, it strikes me that, maybe not at such a monumental, earth-shaking level as what I'm about to compare to but hear me out, Damian Chazelle is the Quentin Tarantino of my generation. I'm probably looking too much at the career aspect at the moment - a director gets a little seen student film (My Best Friend's Birthday/Guy and Madeline) that shows where their passions lie in the roughest form, then we get the "cult" favorite (Reservoir Dogs/Whiplash), and now the one that'll break out into the mainstream due to the fact that it simply CRUSHES as far as being a full-blown personal genre homage (Pulp/La La).
There's many quotes to other movies and probably little touches we wouldn't know for sure unless we plied the directors with their shares of beers, and there's also a sense of the post-modern that is playful - in La La's case it may be TOO playful - and that keeps an audience wanting to see it more than once. Also, an aspiring/fledgling actress named Mia. Not to mention a stylistic predilection for long takes. Guess Mrs. Wallace didn't dream too much, though. That's about all I got.
Some other thoughts seeing it again, of the nitpicky sort:
- I'm actually fully on Sebastian's side when it comes to him being in the band. I think if Chazelle had made it a thing where he was backing some really shitty act or boy band or even some EDM thing, I might see why he feels like this isn't really for him or part of his 'dream' of making it with his own club. But a) the music is actually really good (or maybe I'm just hearing one of the few decent John Legend sung songs in the past several years), and b) it's clear he can squirrel away the money from doing this and then get his club. The first time seeing the movie I thought the argument was sort of even-sided, and each had good points. Now, nope, Sebastian was right, if not articulating himself well.
- Mia thought that just sending an email to some casting people would get a packed audience to see her show. In the end it actually does work for her - the "someone in the crowd" comes through - but hey, woman, get on social media, join some goddamn networking groups or at least go to a few events, and get out there! (I know that might've been too complicated to show, I think it's just because I know this world, albeit around NYC and not LA, and if we're dealing with the reality of a struggling actress in *2016 or around this time period,* it should be how it is more-so). Or, you know, workshop that play before going for it like that! Sheesh.
- That final ten minutes is ending-of-Singin-in-the-Rain good. It almost brought tears to my eyes, as does Mia's 'Dream' audition song. Those are the two completely perfect scenes in the movie.
- Rebel without a Cause is kind of overrated, but I get why it's there for quotidian purposes (again, not unlike how Pulp Fiction straight up lifts things like from Band a parte)
- Love the opening sequence. The first time it was too jarring, like when you see the first 10/15 mins of Juno and everyone talks like they're on Planet Hipster.
- Um... Emma Stone is pretty. And I think I want to make a list now on Letterboxd about Ryan Gosling Staring off in full cool concentration in LA movies (I got La La Land and Drive and... that's about it right now, I'm sure I'll think of more)
- I felt watching this the same way I do watching a Muppet Movie: such a giant heart, such a warm/cutting wit, and such likable/messed up people.