The document discusses scenes from the film La La Land that show the relationship struggles faced by the main characters, Mia and Sebastian, as they each pursue their dreams in Los Angeles. As Mia's acting career takes off, Sebastian must compromise by taking a jazz piano job he is unhappy with. Their relationship becomes strained as they spend more time apart and pursue different paths. The scenes analyzed show how Sebastian has given up his artistic integrity for an unfulfilling job and how the couple's relationship ultimately ends as they both realize their dreams are pulling them in separate directions.

1. The montage shows the pair
progressing with their careers, with
Mia writing her own play and
sebastian preparing for his new job
as a pianist. Because Mia is chasing
her dreams into being an actress,
Sebastian has to compromise and
sign a contract he doesn’t agree
with.

2. The music slows down at the end of the montage and the couple arrive home at
different times. The dark lighting and colour scheme paired with the slower melody
of the previously happy song showing a disconnect between the two and displaying
that the compromise has brought hard times on their relationship.

3. The scene of Sebastian playing with the band shows how
unhappy he is in the job. The performance in particular
displays this, he is smiling but also standing as if without
purpose and the music seems too easy for him. In this
scene he is playing with one hand in his pocket, showing
how uninterested and unchallenged he is by it. This
juxtaposed with the reaction shots of Mia also shows how
out of character the venue is.

4. The staging in this scene also shows how overshadowed and
overlooked Sebastian is, with dancers directly blocking his limelight.
This is demonstrative of the idea that he has undermined all of his
standards and is now in a place where he is underappreciated.

5. During the argument scene, the use of sound and music is representative of the end of
their relationship, or at least the realisation that the situation they’re in is irredeemable.
We hear a full instrumental version of city of
stars in the background of the dinner (diagetic)
that stops when the argument comes to a close,
we see the record stationary and no longer
rotating. This is symbolic of the fact the
relationship has run it’s course.

6. Foreshadowing in the scene with Mia preparing for her
performance, empty theatre.
Sebastian sacrifices his dream for hers, then is late to the show
she worked hard on. Ideological meaning is that the American
Dream isn't realistic and that even with compromises life can’t all
be fairytale endings.

7. The ideological meanings relating to the American Dream are also referenced in the aesthetics of the film
regarding the 1930s era of hollywood and the glamour that came with it. The props such as Sebastian's
convertible and his slicked back hairstyle mirror this. The idea that in all levels except narrative the film
completely plays into all aspects of romanticised hollywood.

8. In this scene, we see almost an exact re-enactment of the earlier one. Mia walks in to the
coffee shop she used to work at and this time it is her that is turning heads and being humble
by insisting on buying her own coffee. This shows her complete character arc as she was
once in the situation of the baristas. She has achieved the dream she always wanted.

9. Mirroring between the beginning and the end, Mia being drawn to Seb’s music and
entering a club.
More mirroring as we see Sebastian live out his dream but also take Mia’s advice on club names. The idea
that they chose their dreams over eachother but are still aware and content with that decision.

10. The sequence after the pair see eachother at the jazz club is a reference to the story so far and a look into the
life they could’ve had, showing the American dream as a romanticised and unrealistic story by use of props,
setting and the very use of music itself. We see an artificial looking setting and all the people are dancing and
ecstatic, the gringy restaurant owner having a change of heart and John Legend leaving Seb alone. These
are events that would have happened had it been a traditional, flawless love story. Painted and artificial
backgrounds make the story seem more like a film set, romanticised just like a film.