La La Land

Name: La La Land
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance, Musical
Released: December 9, 2016
Duration: 128 min
Rating: 94
Cast: Emma Stone, J.K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ryan Gosling

2016

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 54 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 2310 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 2310 Ratings

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La La Land

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Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate | Release Date: December 9, 2016 | PG-13

Starring: Emma Stone, J.K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ryan Gosling

Summary: Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail piano gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked soMia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail piano gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.… Expand

Director: Damien Chazelle

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Romance, Musical

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 128 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Mark Kermode

Apr 13, 2019

Like the musical itself, the film has timeless charm and a brave sense of adventure. Bravo! Read full review

100

Mike Scott

Dec 13, 2016

La La Land is a film with strikingly broad appeal. Whether you're a "Star Wars" geek or a hopeless romantic, a jazz fan or somebody who complains they just don't make 'em like they used to anymore, you'll la-la love it. Read full review

100

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

Aug 31, 2016

La La Land wants to remind us how beautiful the half-forgotten dreams of the old days can be – the ones made up of nothing more than faces, music, romance and movement. It has its head in the stars, and for a little over two wonderstruck hours, it lifts you up there too. Read full review

100

Ann Hornaday

Dec 15, 2016

The real star in La La Land is the movie itself, which pulses and glows like a living thing in its own right, as if the MGM musicals of the “Singin’ in the Rain” era had a love child with the more abstract confections of Jacques Demy, creating a new kind of knowing, self-aware genre that rewards the audience with all the indulgences they crave...while commenting on them from the sidelines. Read full review

The Film Stage Rory O'Connor

Aug 31, 2016

It’s a twinkling surface examination of how humans try to coordinate their dreams with their reality (a very Hollywood conundrum), but also a celebration of just how wonderful old filmmaking techniques and emotions look and feel on modern L.A. streets. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

Dec 20, 2016

If “Whiplash” was Damien Chazelle’s bullet train through dark regions of the New York jazz world, La La Land is his leisurely bus tour through sunlit fantasies of life in Los Angeles. Read full review

Christopher Gray

Dec 5, 2016

Every element of La La Land is bound up in a referentiality that largely precludes the outpourings of emotion we come to musicals for. Read full review

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User Reviews

Daniel17

Apr 18, 2017

La La Land is a pure cinematic musical experience. It's one of the best musical films since Mary Poppins. All thanks to its charming story, likeable characters, brilliant acting including the performances of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, excellent cinematography, unique production designs andLa La Land is a pure cinematic musical experience. It's one of the best musical films since Mary Poppins. All thanks to its charming story, likeable characters, brilliant acting including the performances of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, excellent cinematography, unique production designs and unforgettable songs. You should all go and see this movie. It's worth a watch. You'll have no regrets.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

kman5473

Jan 12, 2017

Everything worked in this film for what the director was going after, and the result is not only the best film of the year, but also one of the best films ever. It's an instant classic, and I want to add this to my collection ASAP. If you'll notice, the major complaint that this film gets isEverything worked in this film for what the director was going after, and the result is not only the best film of the year, but also one of the best films ever. It's an instant classic, and I want to add this to my collection ASAP. If you'll notice, the major complaint that this film gets is just over the ending. And, specifically, that it's not how the audience wants it to end. Hear me out: those people are stupid and don't know how to watch a film. The core point of this film, and this builds gradually and gracefully throughout, is that sacrifices must be made in order to accomplish your dream(s). This film captures exactly what LA is - a wasteland populated by transplant dreamers too full of regret to not be bitter, to not be made jaded and cynical from a city that will chew you up and spit you out faster than you can scream for help. And its people; self-centered, and ambitious--constantly treading water just to keep their head above water in the hopes that they'll be alive long enough to find their own island of success. If anything, trying to find and maintain true love does, in fact, become the antagonist--just as it is in this film. At the end of the day, the inevitable choice must be made over the questions: why did you move here? What do you really want? To boot, performances by all were incredible. The soundtrack is perhaps the best in a decade. Though it is serious, and a harsh slap of reality to the face of any dreamer out there willing to pack it all up and move out to La La Land to go after their calling, it delivers 100%.… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

Moviebuffreview

Dec 9, 2016

After watching this film at the Chicago International Film Festival, my original plan was to wait until closer to the film's actual release date to give my thoughts on it. However, after sitting with it for two days, with the images and sounds still sweeping through my mind, I cannot helpAfter watching this film at the Chicago International Film Festival, my original plan was to wait until closer to the film's actual release date to give my thoughts on it. However, after sitting with it for two days, with the images and sounds still sweeping through my mind, I cannot help myself. I will be as vague as possible, because I do not want to ruin the experience of seeing it for the first time, but I have to talk about it.

La La Land, as it has been advertised, pays homage to classic movie musicals. Not only does it visually allude to films such as Singin' in the Rain and The Band Wagon, but it also preserves the upbeat, wondrous tone of those classics. There is something wonderful about seeing this tone and style recreated for a modern film. Cynicism and pretentiousness are completely absent from this film, and nostalgia and joy take their place.

But calling La La Land a terrific recreation of the classic movie musical is selling it short. Like director Damien Chazelle's previous work, La La Land has much more going on narratively than the movie may lead people to believe. On the surface, this is a love story about two artists trying to make their ways in Los Angeles. However, this framework is deceptively simple.

La La Land forces us to think about the realities of personal relationships and artistic endeavors. It explores the excitement of our dreams, the hardships of pursuing these dreams, and forces the audience to question the importance of both. Fortunately, Chazelle never looks down on the audience with these ideas. They are not presented in a heavy handed manner, and he never forces you to think a certain way.

On top of its thematic richness, La La Land has one of the best understandings of film as a storytelling medium that I have seen in recent years. On the surface, it is the most technically astounding. The cinematography is stunning, and the soundtrack is beautiful. Even better is that both the visuals and soundtrack are never used in a way that is shallow or uninteresting. La La Land has an understanding of how to tell a story visually. It understands the power of sequencing, the power images can have on the emotional impact of a story, and the way in which these images simultaneously indulge our fantasies and remind us of our humanity.

In other words, for me, it embodies everything that I love about movies.

There are instances that everyone can recall in a cinema where we have felt what I like to call "movie magic." These are evoked by the films that completely absorb us into its world, and movies that have a lasting, personal impact on us far beyond the theater. They are the films that we hold as the pinnacle of what makes watching movies so great.

La La Land is one of those movies.

During its 128 minute running time, the only time I wanted to look away from the screen was to turn to the people around me and check and see if they were experiencing the same kind of magic that I was. I can affirm that everyone I saw in my theater was.

La La Land is a masterpiece. It is not only the best movie of 2016 so far, but also possibly one of the best of the decade. It's spectacular, stunning, moving, and absolutely magical.… Expand

30 of 44 users found this helpful3014

LinttaFlamingo

Jan 14, 2017

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are really giving their all and it shows. Their chemistry and the perfect musical score blended together make La La Land something very special and the whole theater was just jamming lol. The soundtrack is gonna be on repeat for a while. La La Land is an easyRyan Gosling and Emma Stone are really giving their all and it shows. Their chemistry and the perfect musical score blended together make La La Land something very special and the whole theater was just jamming lol. The soundtrack is gonna be on repeat for a while. La La Land is an easy recommendation.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

Zerpnos

Mar 5, 2017

Gerek verdiği aşk duygusu, gerekse müzikleri için bile bu film izlenir. Aşk duygusunu hissederken müzikler eşliğinde büyülendim. Normalde müzikal sevmeyen biri olarak, kesinlikle bu filmi izleyin diyorum.

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

shoulderoforion

Jan 22, 2017

It was alright, there were some moments of joy/wonder in this homage to Hollywood golden era musical romantic comedy, but both the romance & comedy fell short. The "what if" montage was devastating. Better than bad, but in no way great.

3 of 10 users found this helpful37

GazMovies

Sep 19, 2020

Horrible film I would go so far as to say this is the worst film I have ever seen! I am not really a fan of Musicals but this was just terrible I think me and the critics must have been watching a different film, I watched it with someone who is a fan of Musicals and even they hated it.Horrible film I would go so far as to say this is the worst film I have ever seen! I am not really a fan of Musicals but this was just terrible I think me and the critics must have been watching a different film, I watched it with someone who is a fan of Musicals and even they hated it. Hopefully I will remember never to watch this again. So glad I could give it a zero,I usually am slightly generous with my ratings and I feel giving this movie a 0 contines that trend.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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4	#4 Best Movie of 2016
8	#8 Most Discussed Movie of 2016
15	#15 Most Shared Movie of 2016