La-La Land Critique

In the year 2017, “La La Land” swept many categories at the Academy awards including best actress, best cinematography, and best director. In addition to its stunning scenery and top of the line acting, “La La Land” won the Academy Award for best original score. After watching the movie, this choice will be obvious due to the incredible melodies intertwined into the plot of this jazz-based movie. “La La Land” follows the lives of Sebastian and Mia, two star-crossed lovers trying to make it in Los Angeles. Mia is an aspiring actor who feels defeated in her dream due to millions of failed auditions while Sebastian is a pianist whose goal is to carry on the magic of jazz with his own jazz bar but is currently hired as a restaurant pianist. The two meet briefly and their fates cross several times before a connection is made and a relationship is

The style of music is definitely on the more classical side with a few pop outliers such as “Someone in the Crowd” or “Another Day of Sun.” Additionally, Sebastian’s love for jazz inspired the pair to visit a jazz restaurant and listen to authentic jazz songs created for the movie such as “Herman’s Habit. Overall, the soundtrack relies heavily on piano, percussion, brass, woodwinds, and strings. No electronic sounds are utilized except for Sebastian’s band’s concert. The piano plays a crucial role throughout the movie; when Sebastian first meets Mia, he is playing a spectacular classical piece on the piano. This melody is played in dramatic scenes involving the two lovers. The popular song “City of Stars,” which is also piano based, is utilized throughout the movie as well. In general, the tempo of “La La Land’s” soundtrack is shifting. Most songs feature both fast paced and slow sections, however some may be consistently upbeat while others are consistently Andante to reflect the mood of the