Starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, and J.K Simmons
Directed by Damien Chazelle
Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyrics by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, John Legend, and Marius de Vries
This week, we return to the here and now with two recent hit musicals about musicians, actors, the creative process, and how hard it can be to make it in show business. Director Chazelle based this on his years as a jazz drummer when he originally wrote it in 2010. He had a hard time getting backing for it until the success of his music drama Whiplash in 2014 gave him more clout.
On its debut during Christmas 2016, it was hailed as a breathtaking masterpiece and one of the best films of the year. Does it remain so almost a decade after its debut? Let's begin with the Cinemascope banner that hadn't been used since 1967 and people stuck in LA freeway traffic and find out...
The Story: Among those stuck on the freeway are jazz musician Sebastian "Seb" Wilder (Gosling) and Mia Dolan (Stone). Seb plays piano in local restaurants, but what he really wants is to open his own jazz club. Mia is an actress, but she keeps getting disregarded or ignored at auditions. They initially meet when she tries to compliment him on his playing, but he brushes her off after being fired by the manager of his latest gig (Simmons).
They connect again at a party where Seb's playing 80's rock with a cover band. Though Mia teases Seb, they do end up spending the evening together. One date turns into many, and they fall in love with each other as they explore Los Angeles She writes a one-woman show, while he gets a job in a jazz club, and then a jazz-rock fusion band with a friend (Legend). Her play isn't a success, but it does snare her one last audition. Even as he tells her about it, they realize that, no matter what happens, they'll always love each other...but in truth, they love their dreams more.
The Song and Dance: No doubt about it, this is a gorgeous film to look at. The searing color almost literally bursts from the screen, especially in the epic opening number "Another Day In the Sun" and in the closing fantasy sequence. LA probably hasn't looked this good on film since the 50's. It really does look like a "city of stars," with its long, romantic cliffs, smoky blue jazz bars, and wild neon parties.
Stone deserved her Oscar win as Mia, the adorable movie-lover whose determination to be an actress teaches her that sometimes, you need to step out of the box a little to find what you want in life and relationships. Terrific music, too. "City of Stars" won an Oscar and "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)" was nominated, but my favorite is the iconic "A Lovely Night" dance at twilight, on the cliff overlooking a dreamy LA.
Favorite Number: We open with a typical Los Angeles traffic jam that becomes "Another Day In the Sun" as those trapped in it sing about their dreams, hopes, and desires in a rolliking chorus routine. Mia's friends convince her to come out clubbing with them and find "Someone In the Crowd" who catches her eye. "Take On Me" and "I Ran" are performed by the 80's cover band at the party. The lead singer especially throws himself into "Take On Me." "A Lovely Night" isn't so lovely at first for Mia and Sebastian as they complain about wasting a nice night with each other before going into their rousing tap dance. "Planetarium" is an instrumental number that turns into a dance in the stars when Mia and Sebastian waltz around the Griffith Observatory's theater.
"City of Stars" turns up twice, as a solo for Sebastian on Hermosa Beach Pier following "Lovely Night" and a duet for him and Mia later showing him going on tour with his friend Keith's jazz fusion band and her renting the theater for her one-woman play. "Start a Fire" is the number with Keith's band, a strong pop-jazz melange with Sebastian playing a neon piano while ladies sing around Keith. "The Audition (The Fools Who Dream)" is Mia's heart rendering solo as she explains in tears to the producers why this dream is so important to her. "Epilogue" becomes a fantasy for Mia when she and her husband turns up at Sebastian's jazz club and she sees him play their love theme and wonders "what might have been" in an epic imagine spot.
Trivia: Mostly filmed on location in the real Los Angeles, including the Colorado Street Bridge, the Griffith Observatory, the Grand Central Market, the Watts Towers, and the Warner Bros Studio Lot.
The historic Angels Flight funicular mountain train had been shut down for four years when it was reopened to film the Summer Montage sequence. It would resume service in 2017.
It was shot on film, rather than digital, to give it the look of 50's and early 60's Technicolor movies like An American In Paris and the French Umbrellas of Cherbourg.
A stage version was announced last year.
Along with the Oscars for Best Song and Best Actress, it also picked up awards for Best Director, Cinematography, Production Design, and Score.
What I Don't Like: Like Moulin Rouge, another director's bold vision of musical romance, this isn't for everyone. Sebastian can come off like a major jerk, obsessing over the past while not giving the present much of a chance. Neither Gosling nor Stone are the strongest singers and dancers in the universe, though that sort of works with their struggling characters. His friend Keith is painted as wrong for wanting to push jazz into the 21st century, but he does have a point. Music has to evolve to survive.
"Another Day In the Sun" doesn't have much to do with the film, other than foreshadowing it being about young hopefuls in LA, and it's such a strong opening that the rest of the movie often has a hard time matching it. I understand the bittersweet finale a little bit better this time around than I did the first time I watched this in 2017, but it still feels a little off with the rest of the movie.
The Big Finale: If you love jazz, bittersweet romances, or the movies this is referring to, you'll want to head down to that "city of stars" and experience the Technicolor, Cinemascope magic for yourself.
Home Media: As a very popular and relatively recent movie, this is easily found in all formats, often for under $10.
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