La La Land is a campy, musical romance written and directed by Damien Chazelle who was behind the success of the 2014 Oscar winning movie Whiplash. It stars Ryan Gosling as a jazz pianist and Emma Stone as an aspiring actress and takes place in Los Angeles. It features music by Justin Hurwitz (Whiplash composer and Chazelle’s former Harvard roommate) who was tapped to write the songs and score the film. Hurwitz is joined by lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul known for the off-Broadway musical Dogfight, TV’s Smash and Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen. The original soundtrack showcases instrumentals and songs performed by a talented cast that includes the likes of John Legend, who won an Oscar for “Glory,” from the motion picture Selma and the musician-turned-actress, Callie Hernandez. Legend shines on the number, “Start a Fire” and Hernandez performs alongside Stone, Jessica Rothe, and Sonoya Mizuno on the a swingy and spirited track, “Someone in the Crowd.” Although Gosling and Stone are not bona-fide singers, their performances garnered a best actor and best actress Golden Globe award and they deliver a warm and charming showing on the singles, “City of Stars” and “A Lovely Night.”
The film went on to sweep the Golden Globes and break records by winning in all of the following seven categories:
Best picture, comedy or musical
Actress, comedy or musical: Emma Stone
Actor, comedy or musical: Ryan Gosling
Director: Damien Chazelle
Screenplay: Damien Chazelle
Original score: Justin Hurwitz
Original song: “City of Stars”
