A Review of Once
Independent Irish Love Story - Spielberg's Fave Movie of 2007
The (Very) Little Movie That Could
At First Sight
There are some works of cinematic art that seem to come out of nowhere and are so extraordinary, all you can feel is gratitude.
Such is Once, a film you’ve almost certainly not heard of.
An Irish independent helmed by first-time director John Carney, made with a microscopic budget but enormous soul and artistry, Once was recently declared by Steven Spielberg the best film of the year. Which is not, as endorsements go, you know, all that bad.
The plot is simple, and describing it does no justice to the film, but here it is: A singer-songwriter Guy (whose name we never learn) works in his father's vacuum repair shop by day, spending his nights playing for money on the streets of Dublin. And on those streets one night he meets a Girl (again, nameless) who happens to play piano. They get to know each other, ostensibly as friends, as Guy puts together a demo disc in hopes of landing a recording contract. But of course we know they ache for one another in the deeps of their hearts, and we know this not only because of the phenomenal acting by the two debut actors who portray but also because of the beautiful songs they sing and write for one another.
Music To Our Ears, and Hearts
Yes, the film is a musical. But do not misunderstand: characters never spontaneously burst into histrionic song. Rather, like in That Thing You Do! or La Bamba, the music comes from the musician-characters, and illuminates them in intriguing fashion. In a move that does nothing so much as add authenticity, the music was written by lead actor and actress, Glen Hansard and Marketa Iglova, who are actually musicians and just happen to also be brilliant actors. And their music is haunting, and stirring, and soaring, and its melodies will stay with your for weeks.
Familiar Refrains
Indeed, the story is so effective, so touching, largely because of how thoroughly realistic it is. There are no enormous set pieces designed to excite us, and for exactly that reason we are excited, because we so identify with not only the characters but also their locales.
The story takes place in chill night-streets; in warm-lit bedrooms when Guy and Girl must speak quietly to keep Guy's dad from waking up; in cafes that look precisely nothing like they usually do in movies, and exactly like they actually look. We feel that we're being let in on a secret relationship beginning, and the loose, almost documentary style of the shooting adds to the intimacy terrifically.
As Rare As True Love
In a time when movies are so emotionally one-note — or on the other hand a wild menagerie of emotions that leap-frog one another with little motivation — Once is a rarity: at times hilarious, others melancholy; often inspiring, sometimes even devastating. But it is always unforgettable.
Please, go see Once. This movie is a minor miracle. This movie is a gift.
