By: Jade Rayner News Editor
As an Arts major with an emphasis in theatre, I’ve learned to break apart scripts and movies and, at times, over-analyze and search for meaning in shows that I watch. A common idea among those 
around me is that a story must be complex or have a deeper meaning to be interesting. While that’s a valid thought, it discredits shows that focus on spectacle over plot; particularly a large portion of musicals that invoke just as much, if not more, feeling in a wider range of audiences.
“La La Land” is easily described on the Internet Movie Database as, “A jazz pianist falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles.” The musical starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone won a record-breaking seven Golden Globes awards, along with many others since its Dec. 9, 2016 release. Upon finishing the movie, I was disappointed due to the lack of a complex plot. The story is one that has appeared time and time again, especially in musicals: a woman aspires to become famous, falls in love and in the end everything works out. The simplicity is one that can easily infuriate those who go to the cinema to be served with a challenging plot filled with risky ideas. I see it otherwise.
Now, take a moment to think about how a simple plot could result in something much more impactful than one might have originally considered, specifically in the musical genre. A complex plot needs time and focus on the story in order to achieve its goal. Without the words, an audience can get easily lost, and in my case, will result in losing interest.
Musicals are an important bridge that brings enthusiasts of theatre, regular movies and TV together. Why? Because of the spectacle that the musical genre is known for. Simplicity in plot gives room for the characters to sing and dance as a way of expressing emotion, which can be consistently more attention-grabbing than spoken dialogue in a roughly two hour movie.
Along the same lines as “La La Land,” “The Last Five Years” is a fairly simple story about the relationship of Jamie, an upcoming novelist, and struggling actress Cathy from beginning to their not-so-happy ending. Although the story of the musical can be described in a single sentence, the style it’s portrayed in is anything but bland. For Cathy, the story goes in reverse chronological order, and Jamie’s side moves in chronological order. The style in which the story is told adds complexity, which works well because of the simple plot.
Next time you leave the theater disappointed because the plot didn’t open up a realm of new ideas, or make a ground-breaking statement, take a moment to reflect on how the cinematography or music affected your emotions. Power can come from more than words.
Contact the author at jrayner14@wou.edu
