Every time I sit down to watch this, I say to myself: “There is no way this will be as good as I said it was last time I watched it. It’s a sappy musical. What’s the big deal?”
I watch the opening thirty minutes and think, “Yeah, this is pretty good, but I over-rated it.”
By the 80-minute mark, I’m singing a different tune. “This is a great movie. I’m surprised by how good it is.”
When the third act is over, I’m converted. It’s a perfect film. What a stunner.
I stand by that, but I also think Whiplash is the better, more focused movie overall. But La La Land grows on me more with every viewing.