Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench

3/3 Damien Chazelle films for me.

Tap dancing and jazz at its finest.

The youngest director to win an Academy Award for "La La Land" and first discovered by most with his sophomore film, "Whiplash", this is his debut from when he was still attending Harvard University.

This reminds me considerably of John Carney's "Once". A heartfelt, character driven, low budget musical that has the inklings of a true artist about to inevitably succeed in the mainstream, refining their craft slowly but surely. It should be appreciated even more for this, for their later award winning masterpieces will be far more influenced by Hollywood. Nothing much happens, but that is perfectly fine- because it is focused on the exceptional score and soundtrack. Cherish it.

I thought the conceit of the film was to juxtapose a micro budget with a lush symphonic score and Godardish realism with tap dance numbers, but that never really happens. The musical numbers are few and far between, and the only real one (Boy in the Park) doesn't come until 3/4 of the way into the film.

If you establish a premise in a film (characters break into song to express their feelings), you must be true to it, not afraid of it. It felt like the filmmaker couldn't decide whether to go all the way - I wish he had. It would've made for a far more watchable film. What we get is a film that is unsatisfying for those watching for the fantasy and for those watching for the realism.

There are so many similarities between this movie and the later La La Land: the perils of a relationship during times of rapid changing professional fortunes, the overall narrative tones, and the music score.

It is a fundamental movie to start the arc of Chazelle creativity, and while the obvious budgetary constraints are interfering with the narrative, there are many great shots and great Music.

Definitely recommended if watching movie is for you not exclusively entertainment but also part of an investigation of the true quality of the Art: expressing something fresh that can only be conveyed by potion pictures.

Damien Chazelle's feature film debut may not hold a candle to his subsequent films but it does showcase many of the themes & trademarks that he would go on to refine & perfect in his later works, especially the role of music in driving his narratives and his penchant for talented & ambitious protagonists. Not a memorable start by any means but a start nonetheless. And the creative leaps he's made since this film only speaks of his quick grasp & understanding of the filmmaking medium.

I definitely sought this out because of a particular reason- Damian Chazelle and Whiplash. Whiplash is an amazing film, intense, full of passion, and so I wanted to see his debut. It's a solid debut, if unremarkable and sort of dull at times. It's very natural and there's really nothing that would indicate the strong intensity in Whiplash. The only similarities are really that instruments and music are at the core (just like, also, the film he co-wrote grand Piano). Yeah, I could see many not liking this at all or liking Whiplash, or even, liking this or not Whiplash because both are so different in style so there's no telling which way the passion will go. I recommend it slightly, but it's not totally recommended and not a home run by any means