Spoilers ahead!
If you’ve seen La La Land, you know there’s some controversy about how it ends. Mia and Sebastian, who had dreams of building a life together, let go of their relationship to pursue their separate careers. It’s a bittersweet ending, one that’s left viewers satisfied, dissatisfied, or in a state of ambivalence. After experiencing a similar ending for myself, I believe this was the movie’s only proper ending. It mirrors real life, where pursuing one’s dreams requires some sacrifice. Whether you are currently in this position or not, I think it’s worth reevaluating the ending and applying it to real life.
The ending isn’t just about what Mia and Sebastian lost, but what they gained. Mia became a successful actress, and Sebastian opened his jazz club, but they did so separately. They shared their dreams and supported each other the best they could during their time together, but ultimately, their interests collided. Sebastian couldn’t always be there for Mia because he was constantly going on tour, and Mia couldn’t commit to traveling with him while also focusing on her dream. Their decision to end things and go their separate ways is a reminder that letting go of certain relationships can be suitable for your self-interest. Sometimes, even the most profound connections we have can’t survive the pull of our individual dreams.
The beauty here is that neither of them regrets their choices. They put themselves first by separating and are proud of their accomplishments. Their shared smile at the end of the movie portrays this well. The screenplay describes it as “…the kind of smile you could miss if you blinked — but it’s enough to signal to Sebastian that she recognized the melody he played, and that she still remembers it, and still thinks of it to this day…” (95). The smile indicated that seeing him accomplish his dream was enough for her. This serves as a reminder that the things we give up are part of our story, not just something to mourn. We grow as people through these experiences, and we are constantly evolving.
La La Land remains a relevant film because of its realistic view of pursuing passions and the bittersweet nature of love. Life is not a movie where we’re handed everything we want. Pursuing passion often requires sacrifice, and personal growth may require difficult choices. Ultimately, it’s about realizing you might lose someone or something you value, but you won’t lose yourself. The film shows how love is like a balancing act between personal goals and love for the other person. After their separation, Mia found the courage to move to Paris, where she landed the role that propelled her career, and Sebastian could also fully commit to his dream of opening a jazz club. While these happened after they broke up, the lessons they learned during their relationship still helped them get there. Their time together is still relevant and special, even if it couldn’t last.
Sometimes, the only way to grow is to let go of what we love most.
As a final note, there’s a difference between moving on and letting go. Moving on requires you to remove yourself physically while letting go is releasing your emotions surrounding something. The former is how you protect yourself, and the latter is how you grow. You wouldn’t be the same person if you hadn’t learned specific lessons, so keeping them somewhere is essential. Sebastian displays this by naming his jazz club “Seb’s,” which was Mia’s name suggestion. While they grew apart, their time together helped him realize the importance of his music and his dream. By naming the club “Seb’s,” he is honoring that journey, even though it didn’t last. It symbolizes his personal growth and the sacrifices made to achieve his goals. Ultimately, La La Land encourages us to accept the beauty of what we learn along the way and reminds us that the journey is just as valuable as the destination.