La La Land is a fun musical and an optimistic fairytale about the entertainment industry. I would have thought it’d be an unlikely target for critical controversy, but here we are. People love to hate La La Land just as much as others love to love it. Most audiences and critics I’ve come across are firmly on one side or the other.
Seems like a lame division to me. Firstly, haters: you’re wrong. The film just wants to be pure joy. How can you hate pure joy? Or even an attempt at pure joy? Are you Hitler? Hitler probably didn’t hate joy, so who do you think you are?
Secondly, lovers: I love your love, but you know those hugs that are painful? Like, bear hugs, you know? Many of you are hugging La La Land to death! It’s a movie, an imperfect movie, possibly a great imperfect movie, but there’s no need to stab its critics in the face. I mean, are you Hitler? I don’t think Hitler stabbed people in the face, so who do you think you are?
But hey, I get it. It’s emotional. It’s a movie about a glowing spirit in the face of adversity. A song and a dance in hard times. The other day I was in a lovely casual conversation when one guy said he walked out of La La Land. WALKED OUT. Hated it that much. Yes, that triggered me. My lips wanted to scream-forth: “BUT THAT OPENING NUMBER WAS IT NOT MAGICAL?” But I held strong. I extracted myself from the conversation, taking deep breaths, thinking about simpler times. Then I got a knife and ran back and stabbed the idiot in the face.
Kiddin’.
Yes, it’s going to win too many Oscars, but we simply ought not start a war over La La Land. La La Land wouldn’t want that. Respect La La Land.
Some people just don’t know how wonder-filled this movie (and soundtrack) is. Are they wrong? Yes. Are they Hitler? Probably not. They’re just not La La.
