Noah Cassidy’s review published on Letterboxd:
Here's to the ones who dream
Foolish as they may seem
Here's to the hearts that ache
Here's to the mess we make
Thank you for this much needed pick-me-up, film class. I have what I believe to be a unique connection to La La Land. When I saw it in theaters for the first time back in 2016, I was going through a rough patch. Without getting too heavy into details, 2015 and 2016 were not great years for me emotionally. (It didn't help that shortly before I saw this, I suffered a pretty bad ankle injury. Not fun spending most of your Christmas vacation on crutches.) I would find happiness in common places, but many other times I would just be sad, angry, a mix of both, or feel nothing. Looking back on things, high school maybe wasn't all that good. Especially near the end of each years I was very low. I was super excited for La La Land and got to see it with my mom, who was somehow even more excited for it than I was. We got our seats, made it through the trailers, and the film began.
La La Land was the first film to make me cry not out of sadness, but happiness. I'm not entirely certain in me saying it, but if it's not my absolute favorite, then it's one of my favorite openings of any film ever. "Another Day of Sun" and the sequence accompanying it is pure bliss. There's something about the way it sounds, the way the characters in the sequence move, the way colors are utilized that is just so uniquely beautiful and inspiring. I'll even admit that in class today, despite this being my fifth or sixth viewing of the film, I got teary-eyed. I'll always have La La Land to thank for helping me for a day, and therefore for many days following that. Everything else in the film could've been a big mountain of letdowns and I still would've walked from it happy.
Thankfully, everything else is almost as good. On this viewing, I paid close attention to the use of color, the movement of the camera, and the way specific sequences were cut. What a immensely well-put together film from every technical aspect. Each scene, especially those in the first act, feature special color aesthetics, being able to convey mood with next to no dialogue needed. The musical sequences are a wonder and all feature amazing cinematography, each shot and each cut serving a proper purpose. (There were only a small handful of cuts or lighting choices that were jarring, and these came at less significant parts of the film.) I would love to see how a cut of the film that just relies on music would look like.
It works best with its images, but the music by itself is still something to behold. The aforementioned "Another Day of Sun" is likely my favorite number for hopefully clear reasons. "City of Stars" is gorgeous, in my mind the best version of it being Sebastian's solo at the pier dock. "Someone in the Crowd" is impossibly fun, sweeping back and forth seamlessly between tempos and moods. “Audition” could inspire anyone, and best exemplifies the theme of the film to me. "A Lovely Night" is humorous as well as just catchy. The dance that accompanies it is also a blast. Finally, even if Sebastian doesn't like it, "Start a Fire" is a bop, and would have been played to death on radio stations across the world if it were an actual song from John Legend. (Hot take, I would be interested to know how La La Land would be if Legend and Gosling switched roles. Maybe it'd work better, maybe it wouldn't. Sounds intriguing to me at least.)
So, what is La La Land about? It could be summed up as an exploration and love letter to the dreamers of the world. It could also be a tribute to the greatest aspects of Los Angeles life, while still being more than willing to take the piss out of itself when needed. It's most likely a mix of these, while also including several other nuggets. Whatever it may be, it's an uplifting flick, exploring concepts that have in truth been done to death but in a way that is more appealing and heartfelt than most others. Without getting too into it, I really enjoy the ending of the film. On my first viewing, I interpreted it as being very bittersweet. But as I watch it more, the more I feel it is just a happy ending. Just not the happy ending that one would come to expect. This is a film of two people following and fulfilling their dreams. They help each other, respect one another, and are able to get to where they are in a way they maybe wish could've been different. But, they're there anyways. Can't be sad about that. I love this movie. As long as I have it with me, it's always another day of sun.
10/10
