Once - Movie Review

I don't know if this is more of a movie review than a gushing commentary on one of the best pictures I've seen in a long time. Here's a synopsis (taken from Rotten Tomatoes where it got a 98% fresh rating):

The Irish romance ONCE may be a musical, but it is miles away from the traditional Hollywood idea of people bursting into song. Glen Hansard (frontman for indie rock band The Frames) plays the guy, a street musician who is playing for change when he meets the girl (Marketa Irglova), an immigrant from the Czech Republic. The pair immediately bond over their shared love of music (he is a guitarist, and she plays the piano), and the film chronicles their tentative relationship. Both are weighed down by plenty of baggage: his songs are fueled by a painful breakup, and she is a young mother who left her husband behind in her native country. Like the independent favorite BEFORE SUNRISE, ONCE is a simple, sweet drama that doesn’t rely on an elaborate plot. With its use of digital video and handheld cameras, ONCE matches its spare visual style to its intimate mood. Each moment feels stolen from real life, and the story is at once familiar and fresh. Driven more by music than by dialogue, ONCE features a stirring soundtrack of heartfelt indie rock sung by Hansard and Irglova.

I really loved this film on so many different levels. One - the music. OMG! The music is amazing! Some are a little bit too emo for me, but they were sung straight from the heart with amazing passion. Two - the indie film feel. I remember when I strongly disliked handheld camera action, but somehow with this film, it just made everything feel real and honest. Three - the ending. I really liked the ending, and that's all I'm going to say without giving it away. Four - the songs were sung LIVE. With the exception of a couple of songs used for the background, a majority of the songs were sung by the singers/actors in front of the camera.

Like most things I like, this film had some flaws. One glaring thing is the money aspect of it. As the synopsis gave away, it stars a street musician. Given just that fact, it's obvious that he doesn't have much money. But in the film, there are some things that are purchased that questions this bit of reality. Other than this little quibble of mine, I give this film two thumbs WAY UP!

For your listening enjoyment, I've uploaded my favorite, not necessarily the best, song from the movie, by Glen Hansard, the main character, singing Say It To Me Now. How this scene is directed just captured me. It's just him on a lonely street in the middle of the night singing his heart out. It's sung with so much passion reminiscent of my other favorite song from a movie, Prince's The Beautiful Ones from Purple Rain. Watch the movie and enjoy!

Glen Hansard - Say It To Me Now