Watched this with the girls—they are familiar with the music, but had never seen the film. Very interesting coming back to this after having seen more musicals that clearly inspired this (Jacques Demy’s Umbrellas/Rochefort, Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain/An American in Paris). I think it works well enough as an homage to those films, even as I simultaneously feel the absence of true singer/dancers in the lead roles. This time around I enjoyed the more comedic Stone/Gosling scenes—the pool party, the Nevada scene.
Retroactively made me appreciate the big swing that was Babylon even more. I, too, wish the movies were like they once were!
[Wrestles with the limits and value of nostalgia]