The movie “La La Land” follows characters who pursue their dreams and love, only to have real-life obstacles prevent them from achieving romance, and raises questions about the values we give up for capitalist success.
La La Land will appeal to anyone who has ever dreamed of a future with the love of their life or to young people who have experienced the gap between their ideals and reality. The movie is set in Los Angeles and has all the charm of a classic musical. As a musical movie, music plays an important role in expressing the emotions of the characters and emphasizing the atmosphere. The movie has a romantic, jazzy atmosphere throughout, and the sadness of the characters behind the glitz and glamor makes the audience feel sorry for them and empathize with them.
First, let’s focus on the theme song. The movie begins with Mia’s story and then moves on to Sebastian’s. The two meet every time the “Mia & Sebastian Theme” appears. The music is used three times: when they first meet, when Mia overhears it in a restaurant, and finally when they reminisce about the past. Director Damien Chazelle stages the entire movie like a jazz piece. The theme of following your dreams and falling in love is expressed through the music and the variations of the two characters.
The first scene of the movie opens with the song “Another Day of Sun” and immediately grabs the audience’s attention. The music playing from their cars on a busy highway overlaps and blends with each other, but represents their different dreams and loves. The lyrics of this OST allude to Mia and Sebastian’s story, acting as a giant double-track. “Someone in the Crowd” is also worth noting. Mia is an artist trying to find her way in a crowd of people. At the beginning of the movie, Mia fails repeatedly at auditions, but after meeting Sebastian, she tries again by writing her own script and organizing a one-woman show.
In fact, the movie’s theme song has an upbeat vibe, but the lyrics reveal a sadness. “City of Stars” sounds like it’s about love shining through the stars, but it’s actually about questioning love. Sebastian and Mia play this song together, but in the ending, Sebastian sings and plays the piano alone. “Audition” is an important song at the climax of the film, with lyrics that honor a failed artist. Mia’s audition brings out her inner artistry and passion in a way that is subtle, yet grandiose. In the end, La La Land is not just another melodramatic movie.
It defies the conventions of the classic Hollywood musical. The typical ending of a classic musical movie is for the protagonists to resolve their conflicts and find love. However, La La Land chooses an ending where Mia and Sebastian don’t end up together. I expected the movie to end on a cliffhanger, as the plot seems to follow the mold of a traditional musical movie. However, I had a feeling that the two characters wouldn’t be able to get together when they sang “I’ll always love you” in Griffith Park, and this made me feel both fresh and deeply sad, which is different from traditional musical movies.
The most memorable scene in the movie is when Sebastian accidentally sees Mia and her husband and plays the piano. As he begins to play, SEB’S goes dark and the scene shifts to an alternate future that Sebastian would have envisioned with Mia. It was because they were together that Sebastian was able to pursue his dream of classical jazz and Mia was able to pursue her dream of being an actress. However, real-life issues got in the way of their relationship, such as a steady income and the ego issues that come with failure. I believe that Sebastian’s focus on practical matters, and Mia’s perception that he had forgotten his dreams, was the ultimate reason why they drifted apart. Nevertheless, in the final scene, Mia swallows a great deal of sadness as she watches Sebastian’s recital. Although Mia became a successful actress and Sebastian opened a jazz club and fulfilled their respective dreams, their romance eventually ended.
The movie shows the characters’ efforts to achieve professional success, but the ending emphasizes the loneliness and loss that comes with it. Despite the upbeat music and dancing, real-life issues are present in the background. What are the true values that modern people should strive for? Have playing authentic jazz and finding love become unrealistic options? Have we become so obsessed with capitalist success that we’ve forgotten what true happiness is?
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