You have to be very careful with musical movies. They are the most beloved productions for critics and The Academy almost every time. As for the public there are only three types of people for them. Those who love them, those who can stand them loving some productions and hating others, and those who definitely can’t watch more than 5 minutes of them. I belong to the second category. Except for Disney films (which are a completely different animal), the only musicals I have enjoyed have been The Wizard of Oz, Chicago and Moulin Rouge. I could not watch more than 10 minutes of Les Miserables, although I have repeatedly seen Anne Hathaway’s I dreamed a dream scene, and don’t judge me but I have never seen Grease. Although I must say that I loved the Glee series, and there are other good productions like Walk the Line, which is not properly a musical but is a musicians biopic. I have not yet had the fortune to see a live musical something that I assume is a completely different experience, judging by the few productions staged for children that I have attended. With that said, let’s cut to the chase. I think La La Land is the best musical I have ever enjoyed in the movies. The characters, the story, the music, all the details of its production, the chemistry and performances by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, are all absolutely brilliant and now I understand why it has been so recognized.
And here goes the message before the SPOILERS. If you have not seen La La Land and want to see it, do not read on. If you did, go on. But maybe if you are one of those that run away from musicals, maybe this article, that does not intend to be a review, may interest you and who knows it will encourage you to watch it, if you don´t mind knowing the details in advance.
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Here we go.
Let’s go by parts.
- The controversy: Oh that ending. The last 7 minutes, when Mia walks into Sebastian’s bar and visualizes what her life might have been like, left me petrified in the movie seat. The music and cinematic perfection of that segment have no comparison for me with any recent film. And not to mention the impact it generates on the viewer. Ever since I saw the film a few days ago, I have not stopped thinking about those situations in my life in which an action or a seemingly unimportant decision, have been determinant in the life I have today. I think the ending of La La Land sends a very clear message. Happiness is not the goal. It’s the journey. Whatever the personal dream, there are people who will pass through our lives, some staying, some not, but all leaving important lessons. In the end, if we achieve our dreams, those that we have always pursued, there is nothing to regret. All good or bad decisions are necessary.
- Love or dreams? No relationship is an unfinished business, even those that end abruptly without an explanation, because they end when their cycle is over. Of course, I am a hopeless romantic and of course, it would have been a satisfactory ending for a romantic like me, if they had stayed together. But the good thing about their story and the most real, and the reason why many of us have identified ourselves with the characters, is that they were not together at the end. Both were faithful to their dreams. Sometimes couples can be compatible, they can love each other, but their dreams are not going in the same direction. And in those instances of life in which the characters are, being young with all the future and life ahead, where you do not depend on anyone and nobody depends on you, I believe that dreams are a priority. The whole last sequence is in Mia’s head and it’s basically (or so I perceived) what would have happened if he had supported her dream first. What would have been of his dreams? Was what Mia saw an alternative version of reality according to her or was it really what could have happened? I think that answer is given by each person’s interpretation. The truth is that the “what ifs” do not exist. And as Mia and Sebastian go their way and exchange a look of complicity and a melancholic smile at the end, life goes on. I think if you pursue your dreams, you will be happy regardless of who you share them with. We have all gone through such loving relationships that allow us not only to grow as human beings, but to realize who we are and what we want in life, and sometimes the expectation of the future prevails more than “the now,” and in such cases a relationship has to end. But those people played an important role in our path and in some way we owe them our decision of focusing on what we wanted.
- The life of every artist is the life in La La Land. One of the things that left me thinking after watching the movie was seeing myself reflected in both characters. I always wanted to write. For a long time I have pursued the dream of publishing my books and being successful. But like Mia many doors have been closed in my face. I have doubts. I have also felt the pain when you make an event only to find out that you have way fewer supporters than you expected, or surprised to see others that suddenly appear from nowhere. Or like Sebastian, many people have tried to persuade me to write about other things and not about what I want, for not being “profitable”. I have many friends who even consider that being a writer is not an occupation but a hobby, and I recognize their comments and inquisitive looks on many occasions. Maybe I’ll never become famous, or sell millions of books, but today I’m happy doing what I was born to do and I have a wonderful family to share it with. Understanding the head of an artist is very difficult. We are made of dreams. We have risen from loneliness and introspection. And we have to row against the current. However, there are those who at some point give us the opportunity we are looking for. A scene that made me broke into tears and that every artist should see, is when Mia makes that final audition that opens the doors to her success. The message of that song and the acting power of Emma Stone are incredible. I will be grateful for this scene all my life. And I don’t know if it was a coincidence, but precisely today I heard the news that a very large door is about to open for me. Someone who wants to give me and my writing a chance. So we’ll see what fate holds. I will receive its blessings happily and gratefully.
How about you, have you seen La Land? What was your favorite part? What do you think of all this? Do you identify with their characters? I want to hear you!
