Once Review

                                             'Once Soars!'

    "Once" proves once and for all that the movie musical doesn't have to be conventional   or dazzle you with bravado. This is a touching and heartbreaking movie that I will never forget. Director John Carney and his cast have given us memorable and warm characters and music with heart. The experience is quietly beautiful and there were many moments that choked me up.

     No one breaks out into song and no one starts a long production number. This is a musical about two people who just want to sing and make a connection with someone. The characters have no names -they're just the Guy and the Girl. They sing songs together and they have dreams and they're just trying to live their lives.The songs are sung with heart and they will get to you in a strong and effective way. The songs also are infectious and beautifully composed. 

     The movie opens up simply with a musician on the streets of Ireland with a guitar singing for whoever will listen hopefully for money. An attractive woman comes up to him and likes the music. They start to talk and there is definitely an attraction.They are good looking and decent people and they make a connection.

      He still lives with his dad above the family repair shop and she's an immigrant who is also a classically trained pianist from the Czech Republic. She asks him if he can fix her Hoover vacuum at his repair shop and a new friendship is born. They are lonely people who need each other's company even though they are still kind of in relationships. He wants to record his music and get his big break but hasn't done anything about it. She is more lively and motivated and she becomes his inspiration. Now you are set for a lovely and heartfelt movie about two characters you will grow to love. 

    The movie stars Glen Hansard, lead singer for the Irish band the Frames and who  played Outspan Foster in 1991's rousing "The Committments". She is Marketa Irglova who in real life is a Eastern European pianist. This is the first time you might have seen these two but they are pure magic. The songs are not part of the story and no one starts singing the dialogue. They are just played and sung by the two and the songs are magnificent.

     In a terriffic and glorious first scene they go into a music store that she loves and she grabs a piano and he has his guitar. They start to jam and connect singing a great song he wrote. This scene grabs you by the throat as they jam on this beautiful and stirring song called "Falling Slowly". Right from that moment you'll be hooked and the rest of the songs are just as good. The film doesn't build in a grand fashion but it slowly and quietly draws you in. The film has many quiet moments as you grow to love these two lonely souls.They are just two good people trying to live their lives.

     They build a small band and try to record his songs because of her inspiration. There are great scenes such as two small separate ones as we see the music shop owner and the studio mixer's reaction the couple's music. There is a heartbreaking and quietly effective scene as they go into a back room of the studio and connect. Is there a true love growing or will they just be friends there for each other. Also there is a moving scene between the Guy and his father as the father listens to the recording.

     Hansard sings his songs with a great force and big heart that outshines many real life singers today. Irglova is a captivating screen presence, one of the most natural I've seen on screen. After I saw this I wanted to go buy the soundtrack right away. This is some of the best music I've heard in over a decade. Director John Carney doesn't try to hit you over the head with his story. This is simple and touching and one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. At many moments in this movie and clearly at the end I was brought to tears. Go see this movie right away and you'll know what I mean.