Review of Once (2007) by Ben L — 18 Apr 2016

Once is a simple tale of a street musician who meets a woman that inspires him to improve and record his music. The songs that permeate this film really create a tone that is very personal and intimate.

I love the fact that there are no familiar faces in the cast because it makes the film feel almost like a documentary captured while real life events were occurring. The two leads are charming and have a beautiful chemistry with one another which permeates the entire film.

There were a few times I struggled to understand dialogue because the accents were so thick, but I don't feel like I missed anything vital. Ordinarily I don't like a lot of shaky handheld camera work, but since this is a movie that is relatively still, all the cinematography does is ground the movie to make it even more gritty and realistic.

There's not much more I can say about this film, because the story is basic and often becomes secondary to the music. The magic of Once is definitely in those songs. The nice thing is that the lyrics are often relevant, and reference things that are actually going on in the film.

It's the kind of movie I could see myself watching when I want to relax, because there is a soothing nature to the music and the story. I personally prefer John Carney's second attempt at this kind of story (Begin Again) but that doesn't mean that Once isn't a treat that I can easily recommend.