The Intricate Dance Between Aspiration and Reality in La La Land

 

CGB Review of La La Land (2016) | Catholic Girl Bloggin'

 

La La Land, directed by Damien Chazelle, gives love to old Hollywood musicals.

It shows a mix of dreams and real life.

The film uses close shots and clear actions.

Its music and scenes draw us in.

We meet Sebastian and Mia.

Both chase art with heart and hope.

At the start, the film sets up a split between what we wish for and what we face.

In one scene, a traffic jam holds many people.

They sing and dance.

 

The Cinematography of La La Land (2016) - YouTube

 

That moment feels light, yet the sound soon fades.

Life calls them back.

The gap between hope and hard work is clear.

Sebastian plays jazz with pure passion.

Mia works to act in films.

They face many tests and small jobs.

Their work feels stuck.

Each step shows the cost of chasing art.

Their path reminds us that art asks for hard work.

Chazelle builds a theme of loss as the film moves on.

Sebastian must change his style in order to fund his dream club.

Mia meets many refusals on her path.

 

Amazing Shots of LA LA LAND - YouTube

 

Her road shows that work must grow a chance.

Both learn that change is needed to move ahead.

The film makes music seem alive.

In the first part, tunes lift the story.

They draw both characters and us into a world where hope seems real.

Later, the music quiets down.

The softer sound matches a shift from hope to the pain of work.

The change tells us that dreams come with steps that are close to the ground.

Color also shows the heart of the characters.

At first, Mia wears bright clothes that match her fresh dreams.

As she works through tough auditions, the glow fades from her dress.

Her look tells a tale of hard days.

Mia and Sebastian start with a chance meet.

Their talks spark each other to change.

 

Anatomy of a Scene | ‘La La Land’

 

As they grow, the same art that brings them near also pushes them apart.

Their own wins pull them in different ways.

They cannot keep their shared dreams as their paths go on separate ways.

One strong scene shows two moments side by side.

One moment hints at their lost time.

The other shows the void they feel without each other.

These shots mark a change from a joint life to solo paths, from care to quiet emptiness.

In the final act, La La Land leaves us with a twist: both Mia and Sebastian win in their art.

Yet each win takes a part of their bond.

The last scenes feel soft and filled with what might have been.

The film reminds us that dreams can come true even as they leave a hollow space inside.

In sum, La La Land shows the mix of dreams and real steps.

Chazelle’s film, with bold images and clear sound, makes us see the hard choice between hope and loss.

It holds a mirror to the push and pull of art and life.

The tale makes us think about the cost of building our dreams.