Of the many movies that were released just before the new year, La La Land, breaking the record for most Golden Globes won by a single film, is set to join the ranks of popular musicals that originated on-screen. Unlike most classic musicals, La La Land is a realistic film that focuses on the smaller moments in life, creating a unique experience for moviegoers.  

The plot follows the story of aspiring actress, Mia, and jazz musician, Sebastian, as they try to find success in Hollywood. Seemingly traveling on separate roads to achieve their own dreams, the two inspire each other, explore the opportunities that present themselves, and create an unforgettable relationship throughout the film. Both characters are full of relatable emotions, despite their ambitious dreams. Because of this, moviegoers can easily understand Mia and Sebastian because of their own aspirations, fears, and feelings.

The story takes place over a number of years, and to illustrate the months gone by, the film is sectioned into seasons. By notifying viewers of what season it was, moviegoers could not only accurately assess the time that had passed, but they could also start to feel the years drag on as seasons added up. This small detail helped make the film seem much more lifelike and accurate, as it showed the characters maturing and living with the choices they made.

One of the most common gripes about musicals is the large amount of group pieces that are, quite frankly, unrealistic and unauthentic. La La Land took on a different perspective of musicals, however, and instead of focusing on larger than life songs, the soundtrack contains pieces that make the film more authentic and true to itself. While large, sing-and-dance flashmobs are right at home in musicals like Les Miserables and Newsies, the outgoing and vibrant pieces that typically come to mind didn’t fit in with the dynamic and storyline of La La Land. Instead, the film features one large number, a handful of solos, a duet, and amazing piano and jazz pieces throughout the film.

Without using large sing and dance numbers, the film was able to focus more on the smaller, more intimate moments of the character’s lives, and filmmakers used the music to further accentuate the meaning behind Mia’s and Sebastian’s actions. Without group pieces, the music was able to be more true to what the characters would have been around, and featured songs that were more jazzy than that of classic musicals. A simple piano melody was also woven throughout the entire film, and moviegoers are able to watch as a simple piece of music is transformed into a meaningful song throughout the entirety of the film, eventually conveying much more than words could to both the characters and the audience.

La La Land is an amazing film full of hard choices, learning to making the best with what you have, and striving to reach the stars. Taking a step away from what is usually thought of as a musical, it features a jazz-filled soundtrack, wholesome and entertaining storyline, and unforgettable characters.