Once
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Movie Reviews of Once
Movie Review: A marvelous combination of music, romance and true-to-life characters populate "Once"
Summary: 5 Stars
Musical romances are tough to sell to today's audiences and they are usually awkward. Trying to make one as an independent feature minus all the Hollywood gloss and big production numbers is even tougher but then this film isn't your typical combination of music, drama and romance.
"Once" manages to be both bold and marvelous at the same time. This delightful film tells the story of an Irish musician (Glen Hansard) who falls for a classically trained piano player and Czech immigrant (Marketa Irglova) who is living with her daughter and mother. The two discover a surprising musical compatibility as well in addition to their unexpected romance. A small independent release that disappeared from theaters as quickly as it opened, "Once" is one of those films that you can delightfully discover as it moves on to its second life on home video without feeling guilty about the quality.
Hansard who plays in the rock band Frames brings his character to life as much through song as he does through performance. Written and directed by Hansard's band mate John Carney, the film takes a bit to take off but once it does it soars. This isn't your fantasy musical however and Carney doesn't shy away from showing the hardship that two street musicians face in a world that largely gives them an unsympathetic ear.
The film looks quite good on DVD considering its low budget nature and feeling that it was shot on the fly. Audio sounds quite good as well with a crisp, clear quality that one might not expect on an independent film such as this.
We get an observant and intelligent commentary track by director Carney and his stars. They discuss everything from their characters in the film to making music. There is also a track specific commentary track with the trio as well. "Making a Modern Day Musical" is a very good featurette that focuses on the challenges that Carney faced with the musical genre as well as the difficulties he and the cast faced in trying to pull it off convincingly. "More Guy, More Girl" focuses on the unnamed main characters and their relationship. We also get the web featurette "Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy" and the ability to download via your PC another web featurette which I didn't have time to review. Finally we get four trailers for unrelated but thematically similar films.
"Once" is an absolute delight. It's unpretentious and focuses on what is missing from most modern day musicals--the characters, their relationship and their evolution vs. big production numbers and over-the-top tunes. The score is memorable as well and fans may want to pick it up. The DVD comes with some nice extras but, really, they are icing on an already rich cake.
Movie Review: Stunning, beautiful, music that grabs your ears and won't let go
Summary: 5 Stars
When I originally purchased this film, I based my decision on looking at the customer reviews; that's how I purchase almost any film nowadays (or anything else, really). However, I wasn't truly impressed with the movie, at least from previews, and thought it to be just another love story; it just happened to be well-written.
The opening sequence, for lack of a better way of putting it, opened my eyes. I'd watched several musicals in past, and wasn't particularly interested in another, but Once came highly recommended, and the first song in the film proved why. I was simply awestruck by how powerfully moving all of the music was of the entire movie, and immediately purchased the soundtrack as soon as I could find it. I now have owned the movie and soundtrack for three months, and can't stop listening at least once a week.
Glen Hansard has one of the most haunting voices I've known, and after having heard it on the soundtrack, I went out and got all of the Frames albums I could find. His range is one of the best I've ever heard, especially in Once. Marketa Irglova is wonderful as a solo singer/songwriter, as well as a duet partner, and I've so far found at least three projects she's been involved in. Both artists are incredible singers in their own right, but by including them both in this movie, someone has done something impossible: make a musical seem like it's a wonderfully felt story, not a production. I would easily say it's on par with Rent and Across the Universe in it's musical talent, and with Reign Over Me in simply how poignant love, loss, and renewal can be.
The song that has the strongest meaning for me was "When Your Mind's Made Up", if only for the chorus, and how it conveyed the immediacy of demanding a decision on the part of the spurned lover. This is, of course, followed by the fan favourite "Falling Slowly" because of how you could feel the love of the singers through the words "Take this sinking boat and point it home / We've still got time" in the chorus.
To close as best as possible, I easily recommend this film to anyone who wants a new movie to watch. I'm a guy, and stereotypically I don't watch "chick flicks", but this movie is more than that; it's for anyone who loves music, and how that music can affect their lives.
It only took one time, but after having seen this film with someone I cared about, I'm convinced it's perfect as can be; it said everything I couldn't, simply because words alone can't do it.
This is the best movie for anyone who can't find the words for what they know to be true, and especially for anyone who loves music and film. It deserves all the awards it gets.
Movie Review: Deeply Moving
Summary: 5 Stars
'Once' is a movie miracle. Drawing on the lives of two poor pedestrian people in Dublin, the film is a passionate and whimsical look at making music. With genuinely good performances, a warm and witty script, and music that comes at you like a flowing stream, 'Once' is winning on every level.
'Once,' as in "Once upon a time," he (Glen Hansard)(generically named a guy) meets a gal (Marketa Irglova) (similarly named) on the street. He is a musician, belting out his own songs at an outdoor mall using a guitar with a gaping hole to accompany him. At the beginning we find him chasing down a robber who's stolen his guitar case with all his change. Such is his meager existence. He hasn't quit his day job, either. He works at a small, dirty vacuum repair shop when he's not making music. She stops by him one day and is impressed. (She throws in a dime, something he has the contumely to acknowledge a few times, yet he doesn't have the money to buy her magazine, either.) She asks him pointed questions that put him on the spot, but her look and smile are so lovely that he's able to overcome the awkwardness, especially since she at first suits him as being someone she can leave her vacuum with where he performs. (It's just quirky designs like this that make the movie so effective.) He gets too forward at one point later, but he softens her interest to find that she, too, lives in a dingy apartment with her daughter, Ivana, who is just a toddler and her mother. She is from the Czech Republic. He falls in love, but both find the right notes musically. She plays the piano and the keyboards, and her voice makes them a perfect match. Remarkably, the powerfully felt music translates so well, and the purposely amateurish video clips of her show the streamlined fantasy she has become. So focused is the series of home movies that (thankfully) stick out from MTV videos and makes the latter seem overwrought. The music, the videos, and the movie sort of melt together into one story and song. His passion inspires the music, but in every way she brings out the best in him. Her passion also is in the music, but her inspiration is in many ways the same and different from his.
'Once' is truly a departure from other film fare. At this point, I'll venture to wager it is one the best films of 2007. After this experience, a good movie like 'Music and Lyrics' seems like a hollow confection in comparison. (The vast majority of the songs' lyrics are credited to Glen Hansard with one by Maketa Irglova, and a few by familiar artists like Van Morrison--a perfect supplemental choice.)
Movie Review: The Commitments: Unplugged
Summary: 5 Stars
The two lead actors are fantastic. Fans of The Commitments (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) should recognize the guy as he's played by Glen Hansard who played Outspan Foster, the guitar player in Alan Parker's motion picture. He has a great, emotional voice that comes through on the songs that he sings and is reminiscent of Richard Thompson. It gives the music a powerful punch and depth. He plays a character still haunted by a past relationship and this bleeds into his songs. Marketa Irglova brings a quiet, understated charm to her role. It's a wonderfully unaffected performance and the two of them have terrific chemistry together.
These two musicians compliment each other well, encouraging each other's musical ideas. Think of this film as The Commitments: Unplugged. Once is one of those rare films where the actors are actually playing their instruments and singing instead of aping along to someone else's music. Hansard and Irglova are the real deal and this only adds to the enjoyment of the film. Once is personal, heartfelt filmmaking at its finest and a world away from the big budget bombast of a film like Dreamgirls.
There is an audio commentary by writer/director John Carney and actor/musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Carney tends to dominate this track as he talks about the origins of the film's title. Irglova talks about the challenge of finding her character early on in the shoot. Hansard talks about his days with Carney in the band, The Frames and how he knew that Carney would go on to become a filmmaker.
All three also provide a commentary for all of the songs in the film. Hansard says that they did the busking scenes early on a Sunday morning to avoid being recognized. They talk over each musical number, sometimes telling the origin of a song.
"Making a Modern Day Musical." Carney says that audiences have connected with the film because of its personal, intimate approach. Originally, Hansard wasn't going to be in the film but Carney liked the rehearsal footage of him with Irglova.
"More Guy, More Girl" features Carney talking about the initial idea he had for the film. Cast and crew talk about making it with plenty of on-the-set footage which gives some insight into the creative process. Everyone speaks fondly of the filmmaking experience.
"Webisodes" features one of the songs from the film done to really low-tech, stickman drawing animation.
Movie Review: From One Musician To Another...Great Film and Music
Summary: 5 Stars
I was a bit sceptical when my girlfriend ordered this film on Netflix for us to watch thinking it was just going to be a complete "chick flick" but it was absolutely wonderful. It's not a "chick flick", it's an "Amature Musicans Flick". The film is so true to life about the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of an amature musicians who is just writing and singing from the heart. Especially if you've been severely hurt by a significant other as I have, so I could very much identify with Guy's lyrics as they are very true to the heart. There are three main reasons this film is incredible.
1) The music. Simply put, the song writing in this film is incredible. Being a musican myself, I understand how the music industry works (been offered more than one record deal so I'm no stranger to the industry) and I don't see these songs as selling out stadiums, but rather having a strong underground following like a Dunkan Sheik. The songs are from the heart and very authentic. At first I thought the lyrics were toying with being cliche, but they are put together in a manor that they don't quite cross over and actually end up being quite amazing. They convey real feelings and real emotions in a way that is accessible for the veiwer to identify with and make them personal to their own experience. For the true musician, music is life and lyrics are your soul. I was moved to tears in the scene where the two main characters are in the music shop playing their first song together. Not only is it amazing to hear how they come together but the lyrics to the song truly hit home. All in all, great song writing and arangement.
2) True to life interaction. The interaction between the two main characters is incredibly real to life. I had something similar happen to me with a girl that just heard me playing/singing one day and we were inseprable for a short period of time playing music together and what not. When you have the bond of music, it's a different type of interaction. It's like you truly know someone and can see their soul. You see that in the interaction between these two. No secrets because you know that they won't hurt you. It's just incredible and I think this film really captured that.
3) The ending. The film truly leaves you wanting. I won't say how it ends for those who haven't seen it, but the ending is true to what probably would happen in real life and it leaves you with such mixed emotions.
Definately a must see.