Weighted from an 8.5 average · Why?
Stone and Gosling's chemistry ignites a dazzling love letter to old Hollywood.
Verdict tier Exceptional, critics broadly rave, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
La La Land has been received with near-unanimous enthusiasm by Indian critics, with the majority awarding high scores and describing it as a remarkable cinematic experience. The chemistry and performances of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are the most consistently praised element across reviews, with several critics drawing comparisons to Bogart and Bergman in Casablanca. Director Damien Chazelle is widely credited for balancing nostalgic homage to classic Hollywood musicals with grounded realism and playful whimsy. The sole notable dissent comes from one critic who felt the film fell short of its intended emotional complexity, though even that review acknowledged its dazzling quality.
2 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
The Monk Score is weighted from a plain average of 8.5 · how scores work
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 13 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyFrom the papers
Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
This is a sublime cinematic experience, a rare joy that -- to quote a song I always hear in Sinatra's voice -- left me Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered. It is a film so special I had to watch it twice before writing about it, and you know what, La La Land? Everyone says I love you
Top critic
Film review ·
Love is a many-splendored thing. But really all it needs is a girl in a yellow dress, against a violet-hued evening sky, in the soft light of a lamp-post, with a boy carrying her strappy blue heels.
Film review ·
Stone's and Gosling's dancing is endearingly imperfect, their singing haunting and melancholic, and their chemistry, palpable.
Film review ·
La La Land is one of my favourites of all time. Depending on how life has treated you, its final moments will be either devastating or irrecoverably shattering. It's one of the finest sequences ever put on film.
Film review ·
The charm of La La Land lies in its details. In the glances that Mia and Sebastian share, in the references to Casablanca, in the jazz musicians telling the tale of a dying music form, in the coming full circle. Along with his team, director Chazelle crafts a tale that is nothing short of magic. That, in one word, is what La La Land is. Watch La La Land this week. It is an experience. Not a mere film.
Film review ·
The performances and chemistry between the lead actors is remarkable. Gosling shines as a prickly Jazz purist, who conceals his emotions while Stone stands out as the sparkly girl, whose eyes speak a million words. Together they are magical and so is this eternal love ballad that will change the way you look at life.
Film review ·
La La Land makes for a wonderful cinematic experience. It is ebullient and so full of life. And, like all good dramas, it is also painful and heartbreaking at times. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling look so good together that one can go on and one watching them forever. It is as if they were born to play Mia and Sebastian. Their chemistry here reminds of Bergman's and Bogart's in Casablanca.
Film review ·
It's a beautiful movie about love and dreams, and how the two impact each other. As much as the cynics will walk in with half a mind to hate it, they won't be so quick to dismiss the enticing musical once the last song is sung.
Film review ·
For a generation that has probably been devoid of fine musicals, this one comes as a breath of fresh air. The movie buffs who've an inclination towards this kind of artistic cinema will fall in love with Damien's work instantaneously for the simple reason that it sweeps you into a dreamy world of romance and makes you feel nostalgic for Hollywood's bygone era. La La Land reveals as much as it conceals – has just the right mix of realism and imagination.
Film review ·
Overall, La La Land is a stylishly made film that pays homage to classic romance musicals.
Film review ·
This film might not have managed to hit the emotional complexity that Chazelle intended, but it certainly gets you a dazzling high.
Film review ·
The film is a piece of beauty. If you have watched Whiplash, you know that Chazelle does justice to music and his actors. Emma and Ryan will take you on an audio-visual trip that will leave you humming some heartwarming jazz numbers by the end.
Film review ·
Chazelle directs the film with the movie-geek obsession of Quentin Tarantino and things could have easily gone wrong with an over reliance on callbacks to those classic films. But he is able to maintain enough distance from his influences to infuse the story with touches of realism that ground it while at the same time maintaining a sense of playful whimsy that made its forebears so successful.
From our readers
18 ratings · user score 8.8
best film of the year !
Imagine a sunny day in Los Angeles, or for that matter any city in the world that has freeway entry and exit ramps, and a serpentine and never-ending queue of automobiles driven by trapped souls waiting for the opportune moment to break free from the traffic jam thats holding them back. And then imagine an impromptu musical jig that starts with one soul and spreads with an infectious glee across the span of the ramp devouring the weary but besotted travellers in its wake, spreading momentary joy and jubilation, and making them forget their suffocating but cherished dreams for an instant. La La Land, written and directed by the immensely talented Damien Chazelle (who directed the critically acclaimed electrifying musical drama "Whiplash" couple of years ago), starts with a stellar recreation of this seemingly simple thought. At the outset, it is nothing but a contemporary musical saga with a throwback to the old world charm and heady concoction of Hollywood and Jazz. But as the layers peel off one by one, just like the four seasons that the basic plot goes through, magic unfurls slowly but steadily. Mia (Emma Stone) is a barista working in a small cafe on the Warner Brothers Lot, with aspirations to become an actress, and struggles to find that one big opportunity while going through multiple auditions with meagre success. As Mia walks home through the streets one night, she is mesmerized by the sound of jazz music, being played on the piano in a restaurant by Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a struggling musician, with an intense love for traditional unadulterated jazz. La La Land takes us through their chance encounters and budding relationship, while also chronicling the pursuit of their respective dreams, as the cycle of seasons - winter, spring, summer and fall - parallel the ups and downs of their musical and emotional acquaintance. Ryan Gosling is immaculate as Sebastian, bringing his boyish charm to good effect and his singing prowess is an icing on the cake. His outburst in the dinner scene with Mia vividly portrays the emotions of a man who has compromised his dreams in order to gain universal acceptance. Emma Stone as Mia embodies the steadfastness of a carefree dreamer, and is the voice of conscience that simultaneously irks as well as soothes Sebastian. She portrays embitterment and disappointment with the same intensity that she uses to portray jubilation and infatuation. Real life musician John Legend as Sebastian's friend Keith provides some practical wisdom, which acts as a worthy counterpoint to the utopian view that Sebastian firmly believes in. La La Land fervently and defiantly attempts to revitalize the dying musical genre, through the allegory of jazz, which is also considered to be a dying musical art form, but it could as well have been about Urdu Ghazals or Indian Classical Music. Chazelle deals with the moral conundrum of commercializing pure art to ensure its longevity, and in the process, destroying its sanctity. He also speaks subtly about the power of dreams, that propel mundane lives to glimmer eventually with success on the sands of time, while having to sacrifice beloved relationships and acquaintances. Chazelle's frequent collaborator Justin Hurwitz composes a musical score for the ages with soulful gems like "City of Stars", "A Lovely Night" and "The Fools Who Dream" and foot-tapping numbers like "Another Day of Sun" and "Someone in the Crowd". Affectionately cinematographed with a palette of vibrant hues, and accompanied by perfect production design, La La Land ends on a hopeful note that dreams are worth living for, even if a hefty price needs to be tendered to achieve them.
It's been decades since a studio produced the kind of colorful musical fantasy that "La La Land" so affectionately salutes, but writer-director Damien Chazelle is the guy who done the job perfectly. It is high-concept pastiche, filled with beautiful people, beautiful movement, and beautiful colors. At its best, "La La Land" probes the irony of its existence, celebrating the greatness of a bygone era in the context of changing times. As a drama, this is less nourishing than the heritage it pays tribute to. But for Chazelle, the story is just a slight rib around which he builds a modern rhapsody. So in spite of its flaws, La La Land has moments of pleasure and satisfaction that are worth the price of admission. It's not that it's a bad movie; it's just not an outstanding entertainment, the way great movies (especially musicals) should be. I go with 3.5/5 for the musical drama by Damien Chazelle and I do think that it is the frontrunner for the Oscars.
Outstanding , Perfection Best part : Cinematography , Acting , Direction , Screenplay , Musical score , Production design , "WHOLE MOVIE" Weakness : None.
I love both of the lead actors in this film and will still watch and I'm sure love other films that they make BUT neither one of them can actually sing or dance AND it is imperative that performers in musicals be able to sing and dance. The story didn't make sense either. Where did her girlfriends that she lived with disappear to after they went to a party together? In this world of technology these two people couldn't find a way to communicate? I no longer trust the critics to tell me what movies to go see after I wasted my time and money on this ridiculousness.
'La La Land' starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone is the best film of the year, and the most well-made romantic of the decade. Not only is it a sweeping visual which is high on performance, but also lifts the dazzle off. How many films entertain you just mindlessly and just move you with their ideas of passion and romance effectively, simultaneously? 'La La Land' is that rare, perfect film which astonishes, yes, but also stimulates the heart in amazing mannerisms and zeal. It is a commendable, fantabulous film which celebrates the lovers in perfect fashion and symphony. I'm going with 5 out of 5 for Damien Chazelle's ''La La Land''. It is a flight of astonshing fancy and a sizzling watch.
Credits
Ryan GoslingSebastian
Emma StoneMia Dolan
John LegendKeith
Rosemarie DeWittLaura
Finn WittrockGreg
Callie HernandezTracy
Sonoya MizunoCaitlin
Tom Everett ScottDavid
Josh PenceJosh
J. K. SimmonsBill
Jason FuchsCarloEnglish films like La La Land
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