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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Once is never enough when it comes to viewing this masterpiece!, October 17, 2007
During this time of the year, most movie studios release those surefire moneymakers known as "the summer blockbuster." With movies like "Pirates of the Caribbean 3," "Spider-Man 3," "Shrek the Third," "Transformers," "Fantastic Four 2," "Ocean's Thirteen," and "Live Free or Die Hard," it's hard to not be enticed into the studio's lure. But while these seasons come and go, and their neverending advertisements riddle our media, it's easy for most cinematic gems - ones more original and genuine - to fall out of our sights and sadly not be noticed until DVD release, if at all. One such gem is Fox Searchlight's release "Once," starring Glen Hansard (only noticed as the red-headed guitarist Outspan Foster from Alan Parker's 1991 hit, The Commitments (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)) and the beautiful, wistful Czech musician Marketa Irglova (whose voice somewhat resembles Tori Amos ... only Irglova's music is good).
Hansard is also known as guitarist and leading man of the music group The Frames (with which director John Carney was bassist), and while he and Irglova have previously teamed up to record "The Swell Season" album as well as open for Damien Rice (whom Hansard's music sometimes resembles) on his first tour, their meeting in "Once" is so earnest and real that you'd think it was the first time these people had met. I heard most of the movie was shot with a long range lens, thus shooting the actors from afar and giving the movie more of a documentary feel than a fictional film, which works immensely. "Once" has such a basic boy-meets-girl storyline but with much more meaning. And it's that simplicity that helps make the overall message of this film so beautiful. The main characters don't even trivialize with stating names; all that matters is the connection these two have - much like that of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise. However, unlike "Sunrise," there is no pretension with these characters, who do more than have romantic feelings toward each other and avoid their rehashings of their pasts. Despite the fact that they're virtually strangers, Hansard and Irglova have faith in each other; something that's sorely lacking in today's society. The two have a wonderful chemistry and I heard that they are/were dating in real life.
Set in Dublin, Ireland, "Once" is the tale of a guy (Hansard) who's a vacuum repairman at his father's shop by day and a guitarist/busker by afternoons and evenings, trying his best to support his widowed father and get over a break-up with his girlfriend. One night, while performing one of his outstanding, passionate songs ("Say It To Me Now"), he's tipped by and meets a Czech girl (Irglova), who's amazed by his song and becomes somewhat of a fan. The next day, when bringing the guy her vacuum to repair, we learn that the girl is somewhat of a musician herself - she was trained by her father to be a damn good pianist. Shortly after, the two stop by a music shop where the girl plays piano for him and he soon is taking out one of his original songs for them to both sing. What follows is a simplistic-yet-magical scene set to a beautifully haunting song, "Falling Slowly," where these characters bond. Without mincing words, this song is absolutely beautiful and brilliant! And it's a good precursor of what to expect from this film.
With many critics describing this movie as a musical, or as director Carney described it: a "video album," it's easy to agree because the film's music is featured so prominently and is played to help form and mold the characters. At times, "Once" feels a bit like an epic music video, but with much more feeling and story. Each time a song comes on, you feel more drawn to these characters, their lives and the connection they have. If you don't like the music, then there's something seriously wrong with your taste and you should probably start reevaluating what you consider to be good, real music.
I won't disclose any more of the film or the several scenes I loved as I'm afraid that may take away from the visceral, feelgood emotions they invoke. All I will say is that "Once" is one of the best, innovative films I've seen in a long time. It's emotionally honest, the music is better than anything you'll hear on mainstream contemporary radio, and it'll leave you feeling both inspired and rejuvenated. This is not merely a film to see; it's a film to experience! There're so many emotions and memories that surface after viewing this film and that's the sign of a great movie! I have to admit that while I'll be among the masses going to see "Live Free of Die Hard," the chance of me buying that movie on DVD is a lot more slim compared to my excitement in buying "Once" on DVD for multiple viewings! Between Hansard's humility and Irglova's charm, it's easy to fall in love with "Once" more than its title invokes.
Sadly, because it's an independent film, you may have problems locating a theater where it's playing - which is a shame because, really, how many showings do we need of "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" or "Ocean's Thirteen"? But if you do notice "Once" on Netflix or at your local movie rental store, make it a top priority to see this film! Drop everything and just see it. Afterward, I'll even bet that you'll then soon be visiting a music store and buying the outstanding soundtrack or the duo's great preceding album The Swell Season.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Guy meets Girl and they literally make beautiful music together, October 19, 2007
This is one of those rare movies that defies any neat classification. It isn't a traditional love story by any stretch. Though it is filled with music from beginning to end it isn't really a musical. In the traditional musical characters will suddenly burst into song but it represented an interruption in the otherwise semi-realistic tone of the movie--think of Gene Kelly in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. But all the songs in this film are in line with the overall realism of the film, they are all songs that occur in normal life.
I don't want to reveal much in the way of details about the movie since much of the joy of the film is discovering the ways it defies expectations. In broad outline it is about a street singer who has put his emotional life on cold storage because of a broken heart and the woman he meets who helps him open himself back up to life. During the day in Dublin he sings familiar standards for tips but at night, when the crowds thin out, he sings his own original material. We see him this way for the first time through the eyes of the Girl as she first meets him (in the credits the two lead characters, never addressed by name, are listed as Guy and Girl). He, played by Frames' frontman Glen Hansard, is singing an absolutely stunning song with intense passion. As he finishes, the camera pulls back to reveal her standing there. From thenceforward we see the two of them get to know each other as they perform a string of amazing songs together.
Neither Glen Hansard nor Markéta Irglová is a professional actor. Hansard did have a prominent role in another great Dublin film about music, THE COMMITMENTS. In that one Hansard played the band's guitarist Outspan Foster, one of the two original members of the band (he is the one who resists the suggestion of the other original member to call their band A Flock of Budgies). In real life, of course, Hansard has long been the resident genius of the great Irish rock band The Frames and both one of the great singers in rock as well as an absolutely brilliant songwriter (neither of which anyone who sees this movie will be inclined to doubt). While visiting Prague a couple of years back he met a precocious teenager who was none other than Markéta Irglová. One thing led to another and within a year of their meeting they recorded and album together entitled THE SWELL SEASON. Next they appeared in this film by John Carney, himself a former member of The Frames. So their time together has been amazingly productive (she also appeared on the critically acclaimed new album by the Frames, THE COST).
The film is filled with wonderful little moments, like the first meeting (driven by Hansard's magnificent performance of "Say It To Me Now"). Or the way the sound engineer recording the Guy's song goes from disinterest to interest as he realizes just how good he is. Or the marvelous extended shot that follows the Girl from a convenience store where she has bought batteries for a CD player down the street for a few blocks as she sings the lyrics she has written for a song the Guy has written the music for.
This truly is a very special film. It does not have the greatest production values; indeed, it feels like the low budget that it is. It works because the two leads, while not professional actors, have a wonderful chemistry both romantically and musically and because Glen Hansard is one of the finest songwriters around. In fact, the soundtrack for the film has to go down as one of the greatest soundtracks ever released. I would urge anyone who loves the music in this film to investigate not merely the soundtrack for the film, but both THE SWELL SEASON, the album by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, and two albums by the Frames, FITZCARRALDO and THE COST.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Rare gem, October 24, 2007
What a rare gem .
Just see it.
It was made by some musician friends in 17 days for $175,000.-
It is priceless.
Check out Utube for interviews and informal renditions of the songs.
Fine art deserves to be savored again and again.
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