Tuesday 20 December 2016

La La Land


Two aspiring performers, an actress and a jazz pianist, meet in Los Angeles and engage in an off and on relationship whilst each seeks their big break.

'La La Land' recreates the style of the classic 1940s MGM musicals using an original score and the time honoured boy meets girl, boy loses girl plot. Whether the time honoured plot is completed in the traditional way is something you'll have the see film to discover.

'La La Land' has reached our shores weighed down by clever marketing and lavish reviews. I really wanted to like it but I was disappointed. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are likeable and talented and if the marketing is to be believed both studied and worked very hard on their skills to portray their characters. However, neither possesses a strong singing voice and their dancing, whilst adequate, does not rate with their predecessors. Perhaps they were chosen for their roles precisely for that reason?

The first half of the film is mostly song and dance with minimal plot development and seems lame. The second half is much more plot focussed and the film from then on feels all the better for it even if that plot is as old as the hills around them.

Disappointing.

★★

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