When Does La La Land Take Place
Let's talk about La La Land. You know, the movie with the singing and dancing and the very pretty colors. It's a fantastic film, really. It makes you want to grab a scarf and twirl down a street, even if it's just your living room. But there's something about the movie that always makes me chuckle a little. It’s a little mystery that most people probably don't even think about. And I’m here to shine a spotlight on it, because why not?
My unpopular opinion is that La La Land is secretly a movie that takes place in… well, maybe not exactly the present day. Or perhaps it’s a present day that’s a little bit more… whimsical. It’s like the filmmakers said, "Let's make a movie about Los Angeles, but let's make it feel like it's always golden hour." And you know what? I’m here for it.
Think about it. The entire aesthetic of the movie screams timelessness. The clothes that Mia wears, the clothes that Sebastian wears – they’re not outdated, per se. They’re more like… classic. Like they could have been plucked from any decade between, say, the 1950s and, well, maybe last Tuesday. There’s no glaringly obvious tech that screams "this is 2016!" or "this is definitely 2023!". It’s a beautiful, stylized Los Angeles. It's a Los Angeles that exists in our collective imagination, a city of dreams where anything can happen, especially if you burst into song about it.
And the music! Oh, the music. It's jazzy, it's romantic, it's full of yearning. It’s the kind of music that feels like it’s always been around, and always will be. It doesn't sound like it’s tied to a specific Spotify playlist from a particular year. It sounds like it’s pouring out of the very soul of the city, a soundtrack to a love story that transcends the fleeting trends of our digital age. It’s like the composer, the brilliant Justin Hurwitz, decided to bottle the essence of Hollywood magic and pour it into a movie score. And he succeeded, if you ask me.
When I watch La La Land, I don't see characters scrolling through Instagram or obsessing over the latest TikTok dance. I see people falling in love, chasing their passions, and having grand, sweeping musical numbers. It feels like a world where such things are not only possible but are the norm. It’s a world where a spontaneous dance on a freeway overpass is not only accepted but encouraged. And honestly, who wouldn't want to live in that world for a couple of hours?
The whole vibe of the movie is less about “what year is it?” and more about “what feeling are we trying to evoke?” And the feeling is pure, unadulterated romance, tinged with the bittersweet reality of dreams. It's a feeling that’s perpetually in style. It’s the kind of movie that makes you feel like you're living in a movie yourself, and isn't that the ultimate escapism? It’s a love letter to Los Angeles, but it’s also a love letter to the idea of Los Angeles. The one we see in old movies, the one we dream about when we're stuck in traffic.
Think about the little details. The cars. Are they brand new? Are they vintage? It’s hard to say for sure, because they all look so perfectly curated. They blend seamlessly into the backdrop, like props in a meticulously designed stage play. The technology, if it’s even there, is subtle. You don't see anyone fumbling with a newfangled gadget. It’s all about the human connection, the music, the art. And that, my friends, is ageless.
So, when does La La Land take place? My answer is: it takes place whenever you need it to take place. It’s a movie that exists outside the rigid confines of a calendar. It’s a feeling, a mood, a beautiful, melancholic, hopeful dream. It’s set in a Los Angeles that’s forever bathed in that magical twilight glow, where jazz clubs are still the heart of the city and where dreams are as real as the stars you can (almost) touch. It's a movie that reminds us that some things, like love and art, are truly timeless. And for that, I’m eternally grateful. So next time you watch it, don’t worry about the date. Just let the music sweep you away. It’s a delightful little time warp, and it’s perfect just the way it is.