I hesitate to call Once a musical for fear of scaring off those who hate the genre. The truth is, John Carney’s film about two people who meet by chance on the streets of Dublin and connect through their love of songwriting is about as far from big budget Hollywood spectacles like Chicago and Dreamgirls as you can get.
It all starts when a busker (Glen Hansard of Irish band The Frames) is approached by a woman (Czech singer-songwriter Marketa Irglova) on the street who wants to know who he’s singing so fervently about. His former flame, he reveals. They get to talking – he finds out she’s an immigrant from the Czech Republic making a living by selling flowers and cleaning houses - and after hitting it off agree to meet up again.
When they do they venture into a music store, where she often goes to practice piano on the floor models. Teaching her the chords and lyrics to one of his songs, a sweet and simple ballad, their initially awkward duet transforms into something beautiful. They both like what they hear and decide to scrape some money together for a weekend studio session to fulfill his lifelong dream of having his tunes recorded.
The spark between the pair is undeniable, but there are complications. He’s hung up on the ex; she has an estranged husband back in the old country and a mother and young daughter to provide for.
But in the days that follow, as they write, practice and eventually record the songs, all the complications and mundane details of their lives disappear, if only briefly, replaced by their affection for each other and their devotion to the project.
Irglova and Hansard in Once
In one scene, Irglova’s character (they’re never given names in the movie, but are simply referred to in the end credits as “The Guy” and “The Girl”) is trying to write the lyrics to one of the busker’s songs when the batteries on her Discman die. Frustrated, she goes out to the store in her pajamas to replace them, then on her way back home tries out the words she’s written against the music with the camera a few steps ahead of her the whole way. It's a natural transition from action into song, and a perfect example of how music fits seamlessly into the story.
As for what happens to the "guy" and the "girl" when the recording is through, well, I wouldn't dare spoil it for those who haven't seen the film. The coda, to me, fit with everything leading up to it.
Hansard and Irglova are musicians by trade, not actors, but Once is all the better for it. They seem like ordinary people, yet their relationship is anything but. Even though the romance may be fleeting, the music they’ve created endures. And so will your affection for this film.
Once ***** (out of 5)
Rated R
Directed/written by John Carney
Starring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Related links: Official site, Apple trailer
Review by Cate Jones
Agree? Disagree? Email Cate at criticizecate@gmail.com
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