A musical, a drama, a comedy, a love story — that isn't. The best way of describing La La Land is as an homage to the past and the present.
Mia (Emma Stone) is a struggling actress whose 9-to-5 as a barista gets her as close to greatness as she fears she might ever get. She struggles to make connections at auditions — or at parties — but manages to keep her chin up.
Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz musician sinking into despair after a would-be investor ran off with dreams. With a sour disposition and a passion for traditional jazz, he moves through L.A. like a storm cloud, getting fired from one gig after the next.
Is it any wonder the two would fall in love?
First things first, the PG-13 rating on this film is baffling. It's tame by industry standards, with the exception of one utterance of the f-word and one middle finger. No sex. No drugs. No notable violence. While young children might be bored by the film, they most certainly will not be corrupted.
Second, it's amazing how much this love story stays on point. It represents a very simple timeline one could call, "Life of a Love Affair." Running from winter, to spring, summer, fall and back again, audiences move through the highs and lows inherant in so many relationships. The balance in question, of course, is how much do you devote to yourself and your dreams versus your partner's?
Set against the backdrop of a city steeped in Hollywood history, conjured to life in an endless string of song-and-dance routines, La La Land is more than musical, a comedy and drama. It's more than a love story.
Local audiences can catch it Friday, Feb. 24 through Thursday, March 2, at the Lyric Theater.