FILM OPINION
Once (2006)
Written and Directed by John Carney
Starring: Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova
This Irish indie music film has been making bigger and bigger waves recently. Made for $150,000, Once has grossed over $6 million in limited U.S. release, and has been picked up for wider distribution. Though this film has been playing at the Harvard Exit for weeks, I stayed away because I figured a film with such a lame title was going to be lame itself. Shallow, I know, but perhaps not as shallow as letting myself get talked into seeing based on some hyperbolic comments from film critics. So, I finally went.
Set in a Dublin that the creators admit is more scruffy ten years ago than hyper-modern present, the story centers around a street musician, Guy (Glen Hansard), and a flower vendor, Girl (Marketa Irglova). Guy and guitar perform Van Morrison covers by day and original compositions by night. He catches the ear of Girl, who asks pushy questions about heartbreak and forces a promise to fix her broken vacuum cleaner. She is a musician too, playing piano and composing in a music store operated by a generous owner. Before long, Guy and Girl spend more time together, meet each other's families, compose music, dream big, and start to fall in love. Or do they?
The second most pleasant surprise of this seemingly straight forward film is how it approaches but ultimately sidesteps cliches that define American romantic comedies. Hansard and Irglova share an awkward chemistry, something I initially considered a fault (due to on-camera inexperience?) but realized is actually rooted in the characters' relationship. Guy is most at ease when singing and playing, decidedly more uptight when speaking. Girl is pushy and a bit cold when speaking, open and vulnerable when singing. It makes sense that these two connect primarily through the music they create. It also gives the ending a logical, touching conclusion.
That leads us to the first most pleasant surprise of the film: the music is good. Guy is Irish, Girl is Czech, and they fuse British, American, and Eastern European influences in the music they create. Best of all, almost all the songs are performed live and on film, giving them a rougher, truer feel and sounds. Their voices crack sometimes, the harmonies don't always ring, a note is misplayed here and there, but it works. Thankfully, there is only one montage set to music; most of the time, the camera focuses on the performers and just lets them do their thing. I enjoyed the music so much that I bought the soundtrack in the Harvard Exit lobby, and I wasn't the only one.
Though this is definitely a music film, my favorite scene is driven by dialogue, and it doesn't involve the romantic leads. It is the final scene between Guy and his father (Bill Hodnett), a crusty Hoover repairman who doesn't seem to embrace his son's music aspirations. In three minutes, Hansard and Hodnett capture the pathos of a father and son truly seeing each other, and their respective offers of self-sacrifice are touching, and the scene is beautifully underplayed.
The film is not perfect, however. There are some plot points that seem a bit forced, and some obvious attempts to make the pair appear wacky. Also, it is always tricky to tell a story about a supposedly genius artist, and then show the work that is supposedly out of this world. The music is good, even very good, but it isn't great, at least not so much that everyone that listens to it (including the sound engineer) is immediately convinced it is going to be a huge success. There is some shaky camera work too, and that lovely ending is a little cheesy and unlikely if you think about it too much. These are all minor complaints, as I recommend the film overall.
Once is rated R for some reason, probably because of some bong smoking. Already successful in limited release, I predict that it will find even greater success in wide release, and become a sleeper hit. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the songs is nominated for an Oscar, especially because the music is far better than any Aerosmith or Randy Newman song written for film.
GRADE: B+
