I’m a fan of musicals and an even bigger fan of Ryan Gosling so going to see La La Land's premiere at TIFF was a no brainer for me. The first scene starts with your everyday LA traffic scene and then gets better with a random burst of song and dance and at that moment, I knew I was in for a treat.
Ryan Gosling stars as Sebastian, a jazz musician just this side of bitter, playing for tips at a restaurant while he dreams of opening his own club someday and Emma Stone stars as Mia, a would-be actress doing time as a barista. Both wanting to make it in Hollywood, but not good enough to do it on their own, they team up and after a few takes, they become the couple that you’re rooting for to make it through the film.
La La Land is about dreams, both pursued and unfulfilled. There are lavish dance sequences, spunky duets, and heartbreaking solos, and underneath it all is a sly sense of humor, gently mocking Los Angeles, actors, and jazz. Combined with gorgeous visuals and the dream couple of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling it’s a movie that’s great for everyone – musical lover or not.
Can Sebastian and Mia make it big or will they become two more victims to the merciless Hollywood grind?
