Tied with "The Nice Guys" on Gosling's Tomatometer countdown, "La La Land" has a slightly higher audience score, cementing its place here at Number 2 on this list. Giving Gosling his second Oscar nomination — and his co-star Emma Stone an Oscar win — "La La Land" was an undeniable audience, critic and box-office triumph.
Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, "La La Land" centered on aspiring actor Mia (Stone) and aspiring jazz club owner Sebastian (Gosling), swiftly drawn to each other and bonded by their ambitious dreams. As their careers advance, however, they find their relationship straining and themselves growing apart.
Once again, Gosling and Stone were electrifying together — Slashfilm categorized the duo as "a pairing for the ages." The two of them were so good as a pair, in fact, that it seems easy to overlook the ways they each excel individually — and each actor did amazing work here.
About the leading man, The Mail on Sunday wrote: "Gosling's effortless-looking performance is relaxed, understated and, thanks to months of piano lessons, totally convincing." Thanks to the brilliant portrayal, it's likely that Gosling's turn as Sebastian will forever be one of his defining roles of his career.
