Early Rave Reviews Make the Case for La La Land as a Potential Oscar Front-Runner

Damien Chazelle’s La La Land made quite a splash Tuesday at its Venice Film Festival premiere. More than a month after the release of its striking debut trailer, the ’50s-inspired, contemporary-set musical screened for critics and audiences to a rapturous response, with even the word masterpiece being thrown around. Starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, La La Land is set for theatrical release on Dec. 2.

Below are the biggest takeaways from the reviews that have come in for La La Land thus far.

It’s a major Oscar player.

Geoffrey Macnab, the Independent:

Damien Chazelle’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning Whiplash surely deserves some recognition come awards season.

Robbie Collin, the Telegraph:

Chazelle’s film has now screeched into pole position for next February’s Best Picture Oscar.

David Sexton, the Evening Standard:

The last original musical to take the Oscar was Gigi in 1959. La La Land could be starting on a long trail to glory of its own today. They don’t make films like this any more? [Chazelle] just did.

It’s the best—and biggest—big-screen musical in a while.

Owen Gleiberman, Variety:

Damien Chazelle’s La La Land, which opened the Venice Film Festival on a voluptuous high note of retro glamour and style, is the most audacious big-screen musical in a long time.

Pete Hammond, Deadline:

This is too smart a movie maker to just do a simple tribute to a bygone era, his film starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone is a gorgeous romantic fever dream of a musical that should hit contemporary audiences right in their sweet spot.

John Bleasdale, CineVue:

Damien Chazelle’s follow-up to the award-winning Whiplash is whip-smart full-on movie nostalgia at its best and despite all its longing for the past, La La Land feels like a breath of fresh air. When was the last time there was an original movie musical as opposed to a Broadway adaptation?

Jessica Kiang, the Playlist:

Sometimes you don’t know what you need until you get it. And the world, cinema, history, art, nostalgia, sincerity, joy, music, love, creativity—everyone needs Damien Chazelle’s La La Land right now.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are great together, but only one steals the show.

Peter Bradshaw, the Guardian:

I was utterly absorbed by … the terrific lead performances from Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone who are both excellent—particularly Stone, who has never been better, her huge doe eyes radiating wit and intelligence when they’re not filling with tears.

Alonso Duralde, the Wrap:

Gosling and Stone’s powerful chemistry is as palpable as it was in Crazy Stupid Love … and each of them conveys their character’s love of the arts and drive to succeed. (Stone, in particular, gives great fake-audition to a series of half-interested casting directors.)

Damien Chazelle deftly recaptures retro Hollywood.

Eric Kohn, Indiewire:

As Whiplash proved, Chazelle’s greatest skills stem from his ability to capture the physicality of music. Choreographer Mandy Moore gives her two main performers plenty of wondrous moments that should please any diehard Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers fans, and Chazelle even one-ups the Astaire-Rogers tradition by positioning our heroes in zero gravity.

Fionnuala Halligan, Screen Daily:

As a drama, this is less nourishing than the heritage it pays tribute to. But for Chazelle, the story is just a slight rib around which he builds a modern rhapsody.