Is La La Land overrated? Two writers decide.
La La Land took £6 million at the box office on its opening weekend, and is a favourite to win Best Picture at the Oscars on Sunday. But is it as must-see as 'everyone' says or just overrated gloss? Two film writers battle it out.
La La Land is the story of an aspiring actress and a jazz musician who fall in love while yearning to make it in Hollywood. It’s also won seven Golden Globes and is on course to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Which if nothing else is a welcome change from the gritty tale of machismo struggle (zzzzzz) that usually picks up the Oscar gong.
Right now I don’t want to watch a movie where the main character method acts his way through a sub-zero landscape while grunting about the hard realities of life. I want an escape hatch from a world where Donald Trump is going to be the president.
And La La Land is just that. From its big opening scene, where a giant cast of extras turn the hell that is gridlocked LA traffic into an all-singing, all-dancing musical event, it had me. Swerving the usual clichés that tip musicals into naff territory, the snappy dialogue has more in common with a 30s screwball comedy than, say, Mamma Mia, where everyone bursts into song all the time, and Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s chemistry is off the charts. It’s drenched in primary colours and treads the right balance of wistful nostalgia and exuberant singing. It also references a dozen other classic movies, like Rebel Without a Cause and Casablanca, that make you want to re-watch them, like, stat.
I honestly think if you don’t like it, you have no joy in your soul. And this year of all years, don’t we need a little bit more of that?
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate La La Land - I loved the opening number, the meet-cute and I’m not immune to Gosling’s charms. The first time I saw it I was swept away by the big numbers, and oh, that ending - but I definitely felt it was too long, with too much wallowing in Sebastian’s elitism-induced misery.
The second time I watched it, I hoped to spot moments of genius I'd missed. But it turns out that La La Land is all show. Once the will-they-won’t-they question has been answered in your mind, there’s not much characterisation left to savour. Mia is a Struggling Actress whose travails are amusing, but clichéd. She’s totally ditsy - routinely forgetting about auditions and dates - and yet she’s still able to organise a one-woman show in Los Angeles, hardly a city known for its theatre.
And frankly, the way Mia and Sebastian conduct their relationship, I'm not surprised they encounter problems. She waits months to ask him a key question about his job; he stands her up on the most important night of her life without managing to get a message to her. Quite what these two talk about after the song and dance is over is anyone's guess. And they can’t even sing like pros.
La La Land? It’s more Blah Blah Land for me.
See what other movies are on our 2017 hotlist below
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is back on the big screen, this time with Alicia Vikander taking the lead. Although the movie will only be released in 2018, there's already a big buzz around it. The film's director, Roar Uthaug, trusts his leading lady taking on the vanquisher, saying: "As Lara Croft, Alicia Vikander is brilliant. She brings great depth to a complex role that is both physically and emotionally demanding. We hope this film will delight fans around the world and add another intriguing chapter to the Tomb Raider story".
Released: 16 March 2018.
Marvel StudiosSpider-Man: Homecoming
Set to be released in July 2017, the Spider-Man remake has been much anticipated by fans. Who are waiting curiously to see the young mutant working with millionaire superhero, Tony Stark. Tony, that is being played by no one other than Robert Downey Jr., will help Peter Parker cope with his new superpowers and defeat The Vulture, who's being played by Michael Keaton. Starring as Spider-Man and leading the film will be Tom Holland, the young actor has already starred as the mutant in Captain America: Civil War.
Released: 7 July 2017.
La La Land
La La Land has been so far the star of 2017, earning uncountable nominations during this awards season and Emma Stone's first Oscar, for Best Actress. Emma plays a young actress next to Ryan Gosling's character, a pianist trying to keep jazz alive. The cast is joined by John Legend, who lent his gorgeous voice for the movie's soundtrack and stars as a neo-jazz musician.
Released: 12 January 2017
Hidden Figures
The true story of the three female African-American mathematicians who helped America win the space race, starring Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe.
Released: 24 February 2017.
FlynetBaywatch
The ’90s TV cheesathon hits the big screen, with Dwayne Johnson as Mitch (The Hoff’s character), Zac Efron as partner-in-buffness Matt, and Kelly Rohrbach taking over from Pammy as CJ. Cue slo-mo running down the beach.
Released: 12 May 2017.
Kong: Skull Island
War journalist Brie Larson is no damsel in distress in this King Kong reboot, alongside Tom Hiddlestonn’s intrepid explorer.
Released: 10 March 2017.
Rex FeaturesDunkirk
Christopher Nolan’s big-budget war epic stars Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and, er, Harry Styles in his cinematic debut.
Released: 21 July 2017.
Beauty And The Beast
Emma Watson, perfectly cast as Belle, is joined by Luke Evans (Gaston), Dan Stevens (The Beast), Emma Thompson (Mrs Potts), Ewan McGregor (Lumiere) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Plumette, the saucy feather duster).
Released: 17 March 2017.
Rex FeaturesPitch Perfect 3
Pitch Perfect 3
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
GettySnatched
Trainwreck was genius, now Amy Schumer is back with a mother-daughter vacation comedy, starring none other than Goldie Hawn.
Released: 12 May 2017
UniversalFifty Shades Darker
Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as EL James’ star-crossed lovers (read: filthy X-rated fiends).
Released: 10 February 2017.
