I went to see the highly acclaimed movie La La Land yesterday ... And, I gotta say - it's either a meh musical with a couple of cute numbers, some great cinematography, and average musicality at best, or there's something below the obvious, anchored in the message, that just might be close to genius, which has nothing to do with the musical component of the film (which really is average, at best). And this is more than just those movie-changing last 15 minutes.
When people read the Bible, they tend to 'cherry-pick' their verses, interpret according to what this verse or that verse says, in its literal form. The thing is that the Bible was not written in verses, nor was it written to be literally interpreted by 21st Century western minds. It was written as whole books of different genres, pulled together into One form, and to 'understand', it needs to be viewed as a whole, mosaic of integrated genres or parts. And what is the centre of that 'whole'? One word: Love.
So, to, sometimes it's good to look at a film in a similar way, especially if the director is good at his craft. So, if we look at La La Land as a whole, mosaic of integrated parts, what would be that centre? What would be that director's concept on which the entire movie is pulled together? At first, I thought it had to do with the line said by the secondary character: "How are you gonna be a revolutionary if you're such a traditionalist? You hold onto the past, but jazz is about the future," said by the buddy, Keith. This would suggest that the director is presenting a new form of musical to us and if we expect what 'was' musical form, we will not accept what he 'is' presenting to us.
But, I don't think so. Or, this is a complimentary theme. I think it has more to do with a small observational comment that Sebastian says, "They worship everything and they value nothing." This, to me, is more of what this movie is about. Not about musicals, but an almost cautionary warning on what is happening to us as a society. Even the title, "La La Land" - frivolous, superficial, 'la la', a fanciful state or dreamworld. But if that is the meaning of the title, then what's with the story?
For the most part, we are given a story that is exactly like what everyone's dreams are - success, big name, "make-me-happy" mindset. Life is about me and pursuing my goals and doing what I want to do and defining what I believe to be true and right and good. The first part is ego ego ego - all about me. But the ending pulls that rug out from under us - it says we are living in a dream world, we are putting the emphasis on the wrong things ... and 'happiness' is NOT defined by 'me', but by 'us' ... and until we get that, until we shift our thinking, no matter how much we pursue what we think will make us happy, how much we worship the self, it amounts to nothing. We have lost the meaning of life.
If that is the movie's essence, then the director/writer has done a magnificent job of creating a very cautionary tale, wrapped in exactly what the world believes - this frill and froth - and obviously people who go to it will love it ... because it is exactly what they worship and aspire to. The ending will be puzzling, but secondary to the movie. However, the ending is exactly what puts the movie into perspective, what makes it a 'fairy tale' for today. A 'tale' that is about 'fantastical' characters that pursue their dream, that illustrate traits that hold them back, that gives a message for protection. And La La Land is also a fairy tale - a postmodern one, if you will. We have 'fantastical characters' (people who reflect us and who we have become) that are pursuing their dream, what holds them 'back' is each other and they only achieve their dream when they separate from the other, and the message? Take that and turn it upside down - it's not a happy ending because they got what they wanted, but a very dark and bleak ending because they got what they wanted and sacrificed what they didn't know they had and didn't know they needed - community. The reason, I believe, for which we were created. If we continue to worship the self, we will discover our lives are meaningless and void of value.
Exactly what Seb said.
Good stories create an arc of character development. This one does not ... they are the same people they were in the beginning of the movie. Their journey taught them nothing about what has true significance in life. They have not learned from what they went through.
They worship everything and they value nothing. Exactly what Seb said.
No comments:
Post a Comment