You know that feeling when the credits roll on La La Land and you’re just sitting there in the dark, staring at the screen? It’s a mix of "I want to learn jazz piano" and "I need to cry into a tub of ice cream." Honestly, it’s a specific vibe. You've got the neon colors, the soaring Justin Hurwitz score, and that gut-punch of an ending that reminds you that sometimes, you can’t have the dream and the person at the same time.
Finding similar movies to La La Land isn't just about finding another musical. It’s about finding that specific "bittersweet ache." People usually just point you toward The Greatest Showman, but that’s like recommending a soda when you’re looking for a vintage wine. Sure, they both have bubbles, but the soul is different.
If you’re looking for something that actually captures the DNA of Damien Chazelle’s masterpiece—the ambition, the sacrifice, and the "what if" nostalgia—you have to look a bit deeper.
The DNA of the "Modern Musical"
Most people assume La La Land is a throwback to the 1950s. While it definitely wears its influences on its sleeve (those high-waisted yellow dresses didn't come from nowhere), it’s actually more cynical than the Golden Age stuff.
It’s a movie about the cost of being an artist.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
If you haven't seen this, stop what you're doing. Seriously. This is the movie that Chazelle basically used as a blueprint. It’s a French New Wave musical by Jacques Demy, and every single line of dialogue is sung. It sounds like it might be annoying, but it’s hypnotic.
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The story follows Guy and Geneviève, two young lovers in a rainy French port town who get separated by war. Like Mia and Sebastian, they are head-over-heels, but life just... happens. The colors in this movie are insane—vibrant pinks and emerald greens that make La La Land look muted. But the ending? It’s the closest thing to that final "what if" sequence you’ll ever find. It’s devastatingly beautiful.
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
This is the "happy" version. You’ve seen the clips of Gene Kelly swinging on the lamppost, which Ryan Gosling directly references during "A Lovely Night."
While Singin' in the Rain is much more of a straightforward comedy, it shares that deep love for the process of making art. It’s about the transition from silent films to "talkies" in Hollywood. If you loved the behind-the-scenes studio lot vibes of La La Land, this is your holy grail. Plus, the chemistry between Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds is the only thing that rivals Stone and Gosling’s tap-dancing banter.
Movies for the "Struggling Artist" Soul
Maybe the singing isn't what you're after. Maybe you just liked watching two people try to make it in a city that doesn't care if they succeed.
Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021)
Andrew Garfield plays Jonathan Larson, the creator of Rent, and he’s basically Sebastian if Sebastian lived in a cramped New York apartment instead of a 1980s convertible. It’s about the anxiety of turning 30 without a "hit." It captures that frantic, desperate energy of needing to create something that matters before time runs out.👉 See also: Why the Cast of Hold Your Breath 2024 Makes This Dust Bowl Horror Actually Work
Begin Again (2013)
This is a much more "low-fi" take on the musical. John Carney (who also did Once) directed this one. It stars Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo recording an album on the streets of New York using the city as their studio. It’s about the healing power of music after a breakup, and it avoids the cheesy tropes you usually see in "musician movies."Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
If La La Land is the dream of being an artist, this Coen Brothers film is the nightmare. It’s about a folk singer in the 60s who is talented but just can’t catch a break. It’s cold, it’s gray, and it’s deeply cynical. But for anyone who felt the sting of Mia’s failed auditions, this movie resonates on a spiritual level.
The "Bittersweet Romance" Category
The ending of La La Land is what sticks with everyone. That realization that two people can be perfect for each other but still not end up together.
Past Lives (2023)
This is the modern heavyweight of "what if" movies. It’s about two childhood friends from Korea who reconnect decades later in New York. There are no songs. No dance numbers. Just two people standing on a street corner realizing they belong to different versions of each other’s lives.
It handles the concept of "In-Yun" (the idea that people are connected through their past lives) with such a delicate touch. If you liked the "Epilogue" sequence in La La Land, the final ten minutes of Past Lives will wreck you in the exact same way.
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(500) Days of Summer (2009)
This one gets a bad rap because people misunderstood the main character, Tom. He’s a bit of a Sebastian—projecting his own dreams onto a girl who told him exactly who she was.
It’s non-linear, stylish, and even features a random choreographed dance number in the middle of a park set to Hall & Oates. It’s a movie about the memory of a relationship rather than the relationship itself, which is very much the vibe of the final 10 minutes of Mia and Sebastian’s story.
Why We Keep Looking for These Movies
The truth is, La La Land hit a nerve because it balanced old-school magic with modern-day disappointment. We want the "City of Stars," but we usually get the traffic jam on the 105 freeway.
Most movie recommendations fail because they focus on the "musical" tag on Netflix. But you don't want a musical. You want a story about ambition. You want to see someone care about something—a jazz club, an acting career, a person—so much that it hurts.
What to do next:
If you want the visual style and the "dream vs. reality" theme, start with The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. It’s subtitled, but don't let that stop you; the music and color speak for themselves. If you’re in the mood for something more grounded and modern that deals with the "one who got away," queue up Past Lives. Just make sure you have the tissues ready.