La La Land | Individuality vs Conformity

|Spoilers for La La Land (2016)|

La la la la la - I’ve heard it all before, so have you. Thirty three award nominations since its 2016 release, with wins in directing, cinematography, score, leading actress performance, production design - it even won best picture, though my TV cut off before I could hear Damien Chazelle’s speech.

The French-American auteur has already proven himself capable of translating a singular topical focus through two wildly contrasting modern classics. It began with Whiplash, a blood n’ sweat drenched thriller of desire ignited by violence - the fairytale of trainer and trainee is thrust down to a fiery hell that still makes my heart burn every time I stick it on, and though the never not cheesy, never not brilliant La La Land is its polar opposite tonally, it’s also perturbed with that same thematic basis of achieving one’s artistic ambitions, by any means necessary. If Whiplash is more concerned with a lone, interpersonal power dynamic to translate that core theme, then La La Land’s colour-drenched fusion of romance and  diverging obsessions is the perfect counterbalance. 

I’m an artist myself. Many of you reading likely are as well, still wondering when, and what it’s going to take for you to be where you want to be - as for Mia, her feet lie comfortably in the average 21st-century-small-time-actress’ shoes. For all her internal singularities that we’re privy to witness, she finds it impossible to stand out among the long waiting list of women who are externally identical to her - same hair, same lipstick, same outfit, same dreams.

Many a Hollywood critique exist in the world of cinema - the molten, dissolving facade in Mulholland Drive, and the dying embers of a bygone era in Sunset Boulevard are a few of the medium’s shining examples. Whilst La La Land is never quite as scathing of a commentary as them, there’s certainly enough vitriol sprinkled throughout its 129 minute runtime that compounds Mia down into her own anxieties. Criticism of the establishment’s carelessness in the face of innovation has run rife in the last decade, with it becoming a hopeless endeavour to escape the newest pointless sequel, yada yada. Whether it be snobby made-it actors spitting at the honest workers below them, or shade thrown at the state of modern theatres and cinema dying over the dinner table - La La Land is a whirlwind of romantic whimsy when zeroing in on Mia’s budding love affair, but the lone ordeals of her lowly position in the industry prove what a struggle it is to be someone in this era of film, that the city of stars doesn’t quite shine on anyone in the way we’d like to think it does.

Hollywood allowing capital to run their business as opposed to creativity is, in quite a backwards way, exactly what has allowed them to stay afloat, even in the wake of COVID-19 and the SAG-AFTRA strikes (although their security for the future is a much debated topic). In contrast, many forms of art have fallen victim to a slow deterioration of their time in the spotlight, with trends often twisting and turning in such a way that squeezes all remaining interest in them dry, especially if they show an unwillingness to merge with what’s popular. As for Jazz music, its era spanning the late 50’s and early 60’s is one of music’s most elite, and there have only been a few primes across the history of the medium that stack up, one of them being the Rock & Pop explosion of the mid 60’s that directly followed it. Perhaps the Great’s of the time could have sold themselves to the revolution to stay relevant, but once upon a time, artistic integrity really did mean something - Jazz continued to evolve on its lonesome, but it hasn’t felt that level of mainstream success since those years. Now, Sebastian finds himself its most ardent supporter, a distant disciple of the golden years who spreads its gospel, however pretentious he sounds in doing so. Whilst Mia struggles to showcase her individuality, Sebastian does it with ease - she eventually highlights his disinterest in being liked, and it’s the passion he has for his unique sense of artistry that draws her to him.

There’s quite the unfortunate paradox showcased through the dichotomy between Mia and Sebastian as they pursue their passions in La La Land - whilst the actor is somewhat a victim of the modern state of conformity in Hollywood, the musician offers a unique edge through his individuality, but that doesn’t quite end up being the key to fame that he needs. Simply, not enough people care about Jazz anymore, its role in the entertainment zeitgeist has been diluted down to the odd Pop offshoot acts, ala Tom Misch. Ask the average person which of conformity or individuality they value more from someone, and they’ll likely always suggest that understanding someone’s distinct amalgam of building blocks is what’s most essential for human connection. Despite this, modern entertainment at large is steering further and further off course from the individual, with less risk taking, and more cheaply made company manufactured content than ever. Art is not dead by any means, and cinema certainly isn’t (especially judging by how fantastic 2023 was for the medium), I just feel like the critical buzz around the art that we consume is beginning to decay like bad fruit, and unfortunately, many people share the same sentiment. I do wish more pre-keyboard Sebastians existed in the world, but moreso, I wish they were given the reins for deserved success, because they are most certainly out there. Unfortunately, his attempts at showcasing his greatest passion to the masses gets him nowhere - he’s sacked, ridiculed, and the unfortunate victim of many an awkward stare at the beginning of the film whilst mid performance.

We are all effortlessly unique, regardless of the ways we often satisfy the status quo to blend in with the crowds closest to us. Many would then agree that being an artist is an inherent examination of one’s individualism, and this is even more so the case in auteur cinema as Chazelle himself has demonstrated, with how intertwined his two most successful films are with their focus on the strife of artistic progression, their shared love of Jazz, their rich colour palettes, and so much more. The man has stated often that the concept for Whiplash came about due to his own experiences as a struggling drummer, and the little nuances of the story are ultimately all present because he wanted to make the film, and no one else. This begs the question - is this need for conformity in the modern day truly a benefit to the artist? Should you make an intentional effort to align yourself with what’s trending to achieve easy fame, or continue to push your independent qualities as Chazelle did? If art is an extension of the self, then surely not, but people like Keith would suggest otherwise. His concerns with his artistry are purely to evolve with the times, to appeal to the 21st century’s Pop sensibilities and turn Sebastian’s talents from the piano to the keyboard.

Whilst Sebastian has no problem appealing to Mia one on one through the art he holds dearest to him, his career is only given a chance to flourish once he abandons performance of it, which simultaneously results in their splitting up. Mixing a career in the arts with a relationship is never a straightforward endeavour, but La La Land’s insistence on this dynamic is why I think the film’s third act is so brilliant. It’s the perfect argument against this need for conformity - it made Sebastian a financial success, but at the cost of losing the two strongest elements of his identity, being his love for Mia, and his passion for Jazz. That’s quite the hollow life to live, and it’s enough for him to sacrifice that magnitude of stardom and return back to performing in his own Jazz bar on a smaller scale by the end of the film.

As Sebastian continues to lie through his success, Mia’s inability to stand out in her bog standard auditions results in a desperate one person performance, where an audience member, in witness of one, then another showcase of the individual and their unique experiences, rewards Mia with the opportunity of a lifetime. She grafted enough, finally broke through her self deprecation, and found her own success through a string of genuine people that cared to hear her story. Whilst La La Land’s central duo were able to achieve their dream professions through different avenues, ultimately proving that there’s no one route to attaining them, it was Seb’s eventual return to the music he truly cares for, that alludes to the truth that conformity can breathe life into a commercial career, but spell death to the artist behind it. Now more than ever, with the direction Hollywood and seemingly everything else in the world is heading, there’s less and less emphasis on the need for originality to prosper, but in a bid to uphold artistic integrity - be yourself. Show off everything that makes you beautiful and unique, why no one else can offer exactly what you can, and pour it all into your work. Otherwise you’ll have to break up with Emma Stone, and no one wants that. 

Conformity is the number 1 killer of young artists across the world - don’t become a statistic.

Written By Jack Mortimer | IG: @jackcmortimer | LB: jackcmortimer