Every generation has its movies that resonate with the youth. The 70s had Star Wars, and the 80s had The Breakfast Club. But what do we have? What’s our Breakfast Club? There really hasn’t seemed to be that generation-defining movie for Gen Z that changed how our generation watched and interpreted movies. Or so I thought. Over the past couple of years, I have noticed a sharp increase in the popularity of a critically acclaimed 2016 film, particularly amongst teens and young adults. Of course, I’m talking about Damien Chazelle’s La La Land. But what sparked this interest in an almost 10-year-old film that came out when a lot of us were in elementary school? Why does this film speak so much to the youth of today? Loose spoilers ahead.
For those of you who don’t know, La La Land is a musical following two main protagonists turned lovers, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone), as they work to follow their dreams of becoming successful in the LA arts industry (Mia as an actress and Sebastian as a jazz pianist). As the story progresses, along with the characters’ relationships, they make advancements, concessions, and sacrifices in the progress of their respective dreams, ultimately “making it” in the end. The engaging story, catchy music, and stunning Los Angeles visuals made La La Land an instant hit in theaters and at the award shows.
It made $472 million at the box office on a budget of $30 million, and was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning the Oscar for Best Director, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Original Song, and Best Production Design. And usually that’s it. A movie makes some money, wins some awards, and soon becomes overshadowed by the next year’s hits, fading into cinematic history. But not La La Land. Despite its success in 2016, the film has continued to remain popular. And after it was put onto the massive streaming service Netflix in early 2023, the film hasn’t been completely out of anyone’s minds. Most heavily accounting for the viewership and rise in popularity of La La Land over the past couple of years has been the youth. But why?
To be completely honest, the popularity of La La Land amongst “Gen Z’ers” makes a lot of sense. The themes of the movie, like following one’s dream, ambition, and love, reflect the desires of teenagers and young adults, a.k.a. the current age groups that Gen Z occupies. As we all are thinking about our ideal futures and dreams, we understand the desire to succeed that Mia and Sebastian possess throughout the whole film. We want them to succeed, not only in their careers but also in their relationship. As the characters go through highs and lows in their careers and relationship with each other, the viewer is sent on an emotional roller coaster that can only be loosely described as bittersweet.
Throughout all 128 minutes of La La Land, the story allows for nothing other than for the viewer to fully support and root for Sebastian and Mia, and for us young people, we not only cheer for them but also empathize with them. Because who doesn’t want to follow and live out their dreams while living happily ever after with the perfect partner? La La Land’s beautiful story, production, and cinematography, following the themes of ambition, love, and the pursuit of dreams, has made it the generation-defining movie for the youth of today. I believe that it will never quite leave the public eye and remain a pop culture icon for years to come. But of course, we all know that in reality, the best part of La La Land is the music.
