LaLa Land // Anatomy of a Scene // Jade Njie & Colin Clapper

Colin and Jade

Ms. Pahomov

Reel Reading

25 May 2022

Welcome to a cinematic and theatrical review of La La Land by Jade and Colin

Early on in the scene, we can see that Mia, played by Emma Stone, is illuminated while her surroundings are shrouded in darkness. This shows that she may be in the dark about some of her ns decisions.

As the dinner scene continues, Mia is slowly losing touch with not only the conversation but her general surroundings, she is longing for something more, the director shows us this by cutting to Seb.

Sebastian is also waiting for something more, these characters long for each other in their heads. Now the moviemakers are making their dream a reality.

Said best by Brian Tallerico “Characters in musicals not only understood love differently than those in traditional films but they turned that understanding into art—dancing, singing and transcending mere dialogue to become something greater, something purer, something closer to true romance.”

Mia commits to her feelings and abandons her fake life, she hears the music of a happier time and and immediately is drawn to it.

The set transitions into very unrealistic theatrical shots, especially the LA scenery.

On the website Variety, reviewer Owen Gleiberman had an astounding summary of the film, “These two meet, scuffle, and fall in love, and they do it through a series of song-and-dance numbers, composed by Justin Hurwitz (the lyrics are by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul), that are tenderly shocking in their catchy anachronistic beauty.”

The shot ends as the former lovers meet eyes for the last time in a place that has defined their lives and careers.