Tag: Once

Begin Again

Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo feel real in this charming musical drama by director John Carney.

The mini-miracle of 2007’s hit musical “Once” was perhaps not so much of a surprise after all. Director John Carney took well-established Irish rock stars from the band The Frames (himself a former member) and made a simple movie without much of a plot and with much of Glen Hansard’s already classic music front and center.

But the fact that the movie had great music was really only half the battle. Everything about “Once” seemed cobbled together on the fly. Its look was a rough, documentary realism style and the dialogue was so bare bones it may as well have been improvised. And above all, the chemistry and romance between its two stars, Hansard and Marketa Irglova, felt genuine in both its journey and its outcome.

John Carney’s latest film “Begin Again” seems inspired by that makeshift attitude. It’s a story about working with what you’ve got and simply letting the magic happen. This time around, Carney is working with A-list actors, a pop-rock superstar and a budget that must dwarf what he had on “Once”. Yet when we see Keira Knightley singing into pantyhose with a wire inside or Maroon 5’s Adam Levine playing ping-pong, he’s found the magic again by making it feel real. Continue reading “Begin Again”

Rapid Response: Once

For the tiny little indie film “Once,” have its reputation, music and stars exceeded the expectations for the movie itself?

I remember falling in love with “Once,” once. It was the little Irish indie that could, a handmade love story and musical with non-actors, a budget that just barely exceeded $100k, shot with two handi-cams and in only 17 days. With hardly a story and already established music that was more folky and soothing than Top 40 radio friendly, it made it across the pond from Ireland on sheer pluck and warmth.

Since then, I became a big fan of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, The Swell Season and now Hansard’s solo work (I’ll get around to Spotifying The Frames, I promise). The “Once” soundtrack became a staple of my listening rotation, and in subsequent viewings of the film I found myself in love with both the songs and the presences.

I also remember thinking how easily something like this could be turned into a play: very small cast, no elaborate sets and a surefire collection of songs. Thankfully Broadway has done that adaptation tactfully instead of blowing it out of proportion as they usually do, and it’s not only won the Tony for Best Musical but also made a steady profit in no time at all.

In fact, everything about “Once” has made it larger than the movie itself. The film will be remembered for its Oscar and for introducing the world to Glen Hansard. But I wondered if it still held up as a movie. Continue reading “Rapid Response: Once”