A movie like Once only comes around, well, once in a while. In my opinion, it may be the best musical movie since 2001’s Moulin Rouge. The film has a unique look, a unique voice, a unique story, and most importantly, catchy as hell songs that are as beautiful as they are haunting.
For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, Once is a modern-day, small scale musical from Fox Searchlight (so you know its tiny.) The story is quite simple: Boy meets girl, and over the course of one week, boy and girl write and record songs together that express their unique love…and I won’t give away the ending, but that’s about it. Directed and written by Irish filmmaker John Carney (who I’m told is now having offers thrown at him from every major studio), the film is shot mostly on grainy filmstock with a lot of handheld cameras, giving the film a strong sense of intimacy and reality.
The guy and the girl (they are never given actual names) are played by real life lovers/musicians Glen Hansard (of the Irish band The Frames) and Marketa Irglova and two more perfect actors could not have been picked. The budding love between the two characters is so unique, as it is sweet and innocent, yet somehow melancholy and lonesome all at the same time. If that makes no sense, its because I’ve never seen a relationship quite like this portrayed on-screen before. The characters are so deep and real; they are people with baggage, dreams, obligations, and desires, all bundled up and subtlety hovering beneath the surface. You will fall in love with both of these actors– I guarantee it.
The real star of the film, however, is the music. Written almost exclusively by Hansard and Irglova, the music is wonderful. The melodies are ludicrously catchy, but in a haunting, not poppy, way. Each song has so much fierce emotion and yearning behind it, and I believe it is this fiery passion woven into each song that makes them so gut-wrenching and unforgettable. I promise you will be singing the songs on your way out of the theater because they’re simple enough melodically to hum, but emotionally charged and beautifully written as well. Irglova’s gentle head voice was born to meld with Hansard’s passionate belt. When Hansard sings, its as if the emotion behind the song has welled so strongly within him that the melody can’t help but burst out of him, like light from a just switched-on bulb.
The first half hour is a bit slow, and often times, I found myself a little bored visually because, as I said, the star is the music. For many of the musical numbers, we just watch the guy and the girl sitting at the piano singing. It feels real and is emotionally powerful, but for some, it might be a bit tedious at first. However, at a scant 95 minutes, it’s very difficult to get too bored, as the movie hums along quite nicely once it gets going.
I rarely like films more after I see them (I usually like films a lot less after the fact), but with Once, the more my mind stewed on it and the more I listened to songs (my viewing buddies each bought the album in the theater lobby immediately following the show), I found myself reflecting more and more positively on the film. I still don’t love it, but I like it very much. I give it a low A-. If you can, try to see this movie. Don’t listen to the music beforehand, and disregard this review before you watch. Go in with an open mind, an open heart, and most importantly, an open ear. How often do you get to see a truly intimate and unique indie film that isn’t pretentious, is filled with gorgeous, unendingly passionate music, is perfectly cast, and wraps up perfectly in just over an hour and a half?
That’s right. Once.
6 Comments
July 15, 2007 at 11:58 pm
yay… glad this one got a review. This is definitely the type of movie that you like more after you see it. It’s stuck with me, and lately I’ve found myself thinking about it more than I would’ve expected. Also, just fyi, the guy and the girl in the movie (Hansard and Irglova) are now touring with a band called the swell season and they’ll be playing at the El Rey in LA on August 1st… I’m a little confused cause it also seems that their band is called The Frames, but, regardless, they are currently on tour.
July 16, 2007 at 2:13 am
Thanks for commenting, Linds! To clarify, The Swell Season was the name of Hansard’s recent solo album that Irglova appears on. I guess they are now touring under that name. The Frames is Hansard’s band that has been around since the early 90’s, of which Irglova (who is still in her late teens!), was not a part.
Sounds like an amazing show! I wish I could go!
July 18, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Ok, Maven – here’s my two cents on this one…
I have now seen “Once” twice (in the past 3 days) and I think you really captured the essence of the movie… I always enjoy your eloquent writing and ability to inform the readers about the structure and story of films/TV/music, while equally giving your readers a little more insight into your personal tastes, likes and dislikes.
But, while you only profess to have ‘liked’ “Once, I absolutely loved it. It’s the most original movie I’ve seen for longer than I can remember, it was clearly inexpensively made, it has imperfections, and it feels completely real. The fact that they do not end up together in the end – which would be an incomplete story arc in a lot (if not most) of Hollywood romances – was perfect in my eyes… these people’s lives were not perfect, and they frequently realize that it’s not about avoiding pain but dealing with it and using it as fuel to the creative voices inside of them. In fact, my biggest problem with the movie was the sound quality/editing during some of the dialogue and scenes throughout the film – but that, too, felt real and un-contrived. John Carney created a believable, relatable world that I will happily watch many more times when it’s out on DVD.
Watching and listening to the music work its therapy on Hansard and Irglova always feels real and un-forced as it helps them deal with their awful pain, yearning, and loneliness for a time they “once” knew (which I believe is only one of the interpretations of the title).
Indeed, the title itself is brilliant and another example of the beautiful simplicity of the movie. I think that “Once” could equally refer to the fact that “once” Irglova gave Hansard a chance (by listening to him play on the street) and “once” he did the same thing by playing her more music and inviting her to play with him in the music store, they both opened themselves up to a new world, the potential for healing from past heartbreaks and rough patches of life, and even the possibility of new love – something they both must have felt they would never find again.
Additionally, “once” the engineer in the recording studio actually listened to the music and gave it a chance, he realized that even these seeming nobodies were filled with brilliance, talent, genius even… It’s an important message that I try to remind myself of all the time – “once” I give others (and myself) a chance, I really have no idea what new music, movies, ideas, books, people I may encounter… our lives are open to greater enrichment “once” we stop judging before giving a chance.
“Once” Hansard made up his mind that he was going to make an album and give his old love another chance… and “once” Irglova decided that the most important thing was to do what was best for her daughter Ivana, they both had no choice but to follow their heads towards finding resolution to their pasts… even if it meant sacrificing their hearts and maybe never allowing the romance between the two of themselves to blossom. Even if Irglova and Hansard don’t end up together in the end…I think “Once” can refer to so many other things, and I’d be interested to hear more about what you think it may have meant.
I thought the relationships, though not all that deeply developed were incredibly touching, particularly that between Hansard and his father, who wanted only what was best for his son, and beemed with pride “once” Hansard got up the nerve to play his songs for his dad. Irglova and Hansard had a chemistry that went beyond the screen and I found their interactions endearing… as you touched upon, I felt lucky to be included as a viewer on such an intimate story and relationship – as you said, the “melancholy and lonesome mixed with the sweet and innocent” is a perfect mix.
And of course, the music. You touched on it perfectly. I haven’t stopped listening to it since the first time I saw the movie. The songs are so simple, yet eloquent and emotional. You’re on point yet again, Maven.
There’s too much to say about this movie, and I’m glad that you’re able to sum things up so well, and far better than me… but hey, that’s why you’re the blogger.
But here’s my one big question for you, Maven:
What does it take to get an A in your book?
I’ve read your review of “Once” a few times, and I recall your many other great reviews of things you’ve liked quite a bit… Sometimes it seems it’s impossible in your mind for tv/movie/music to get an “A” – I’m sure there have been some, but not many. I definitely think it shouldn’t be easy to get an A, and your ‘A-’ for “Once” is a great grade for such a tough reviewer… but I’d really be interested to hear just what it is that makes the Maven say to himself, “That right there is an A.”
I’ll look forward to that response, or if it moves you enough, to an entire blog dedicated to it.
Continue the good work… I enjoy it.
July 19, 2007 at 1:10 am
Hey Michael, thanks for your awesome comment. I’m so glad you felt you could share all those thoughts here. That’s what the blog is all about.
2 things to address here: 1) The title. While I agree that the “Once” can be open to interpretation, I must say I don’t think it has to do with the word “once” as you’re using it. You’re using it as “once he did this” or “once he did that”, not as in the number one, but as a synonym for “as soon as.” I just don’t think the “Once” in the title means “as soon as.” With your explanations, it seems the key words are “chance”, as in “once he had the chance to….” etc. “Once” seems to be an unemphasized, unimportant word in these occasions.
I think it means “Once” as in “a singular time.” As in “How many times did they have to sing together before they knew there was a connection?” Once. “How often do you meet the person you’re meant to be with? ” Once. Etc.,etc., etc.
2) To get a flat out A from me, I have to LOVE the movie/tv episode so much, it would be in my top 10-15 movies/tv episodes of all time. An A means you’re absolutely the cream of the crop, without a doubt. I try to reserve my straight A for films/shows that are simply of another caliber than the rest of the field, both in terms of objective execution and my own personal preference. I liked “Once.” But did I like it so much I can’t wait to go to the theater to see it again? No. Would I see it on DVD in the future? Probably not. If I were basing my grade on my personal like of the film alone, it probably would’ve been a B or B+, but I appreciated the film very much on a critical level, which boosted it to the A-.
Great questions, and I hope I answered them sufficiently! Looking forward to more comments in the future…
September 9, 2007 at 4:35 am
It appears both interpretations of the title have been considered by the director – initially it meant once, as in “one time”, but they changed the reference, and now they are saying it means “once I do this…”, as quoted from a NY Times article:
The film was completed in 17 days for $150,000, most of which was paid for by the Irish Film Board. The title originally referred to a planned scene in which the two characters made love, but just once. After the actors objected to Mr. Carney’s idea (“So predictable,” Ms. Irglova said), the scene wasn’t filmed. Now the title, Mr. Carney says, refers to fellow Irishmen and women he would encounter in bars: “They say, ‘Once I do this, then it’ll be great.’ But they never do it. It’s a great Irish tradition of vacillating.”
December 31, 2007 at 10:35 pm
[...] horizon, your opportunities to enjoy this groundbreaking form of cinema should begin to multiply.8. Once – Fox Searchlight, original release date: May 16, 2007The fact that one of the songs from this [...]