Last Sunday, I saw the film La La Land for the first time. Despite it being one of the most talked about movies so far this year, I managed to avoid all spoilers so I could take in and enjoy every moment of the movie experience. So, if you haven’t seen La La Land and plan to do so at some point, beware that there are major spoilers below!

Walking into the theatre, I wasn’t sure that I was going to like the movie. Perhaps because of the way that it was presented, I expected it to be a cliche, romanticised story about dreams coming true, finding true love, etc. Furthermore, there are some criticisms of the film for being problematic. For example, one reviewer deemed it to be “whitewashed nostalgia” which is of course an important issue that should be talked about in the movie industry.

However, as soon as the movie began, I forgot about the real world and was immediately absorbed into the charm of the opening sequence. The flawless acting, storytelling, and singing made for a great production. The film also surprised me in ways I did not expect. In particular, I loved the ending. I think most people expected a “perfect” ending between the two main characters but I prefer the true ending because it shows that we do not live in a fairy-tale world and things don’t always work the way you want. We always live with some regrets and “what if’s,” but that’s okay.

On some degree, I do think the movie was a little bit overrated. I think the idea that “Hollywood loves movies about Hollywood” applies here. I personally couldn’t relate so much to the film’s themes such as the struggles of being an artist, but I imagine it would resonate well with a certain audience. I didn’t find the movie to be life-changing or incredibly revolutionary like some of the other films nominated this past awards season, but nonetheless I do think La La Land is a great production with catchy songs that certainly knows how to entertain an audience for two hours.