LA LA LAND (English) - A colourful, romantic musical full of many well-conceived, beautiful frames that unfortunately has the same old story plot lacking the novelty factor. (Review by Bobby Sing)

Hindi films are widely known as ‘musicals’ all over the world due to their essential feature of songs and dances included in almost every film. But still Hindi film lovers cannot form an instant relationship or liking for a ‘English musical’ to be honest, as the songs in them are presented in an entirely different manner (like a show) with a fine mix of visuals, music, lyrics, rendition and dances intelligently interwoven in the script and its story progression.

Personally, I did enjoy and loved watching English musicals such as CHICAGO (2002), FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971), THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965), MY FAIR LADY (1964), SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952) and more. But sadly couldn’t find any kind of emotional or musical liking to the present, one of most appreciated films of the year 2016 titled LA LA LAND.

To be brutally frank, if a new Hindi film is there made on a typically clichéd plot having the same old twists and turns without any novel features then we strongly ridicule it, but when an English film comes with the same along with some eye-catching and ear-pleasing toppings, we start praising it like hell….. which honestly looks pretty strange and fake to me accepting it without any hiding.

So yes LA LA LAND is a visually appealing film with gorgeous faces and a technically polished appearance falsely trying to create the nostalgia of good old Hollywood musicals. But at the same time it also turns out to be quite flat without establishing any instant emotional connect either through its music or the performers skillfully emoting on the screen in its crucial sequences.

The film grabs you well as it commences raising the expectations, but then begins loses the grip (sooner than expected) and one sadly gets to see the same old plot once again wherein a struggling actress meets another struggling musician and then goes on to become a successful star with the boy’s constant encouragement, only to forget him later (post the success) as seen in several Hindi movies.

In short, I am unable to praise the film as any hugely exceptional song and dance extravaganza as done by many reputed reviewers. May be, because I am always more interested in fresh, novel stories and may be because for me a rotten plot remains a rotten one, whether it’s our own AASHIQUI remake or LA LA LAND.

Moreover, for praising a love story, the very first condition is that the viewer himself falls in love with the couple on screen as a must, which sadly wasn’t there in LA LA LAND.

Rating : 2.5 / 5