Once Reviews

• Guy meets Girl and they literally make beautiful music together

  
  By A16QODENBJVUI1 on 2007-06-10
  This is one of those rare movies that defies any neat classification. It isn't a traditional love story by any stretch. Though it is filled with music from beginning to end it isn't really a musical. In the traditional musical characters will suddenly burst into song but it represented an interruption in the otherwise semi-realistic tone of the movie--think of Gene Kelly in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. But all the songs in this film are in line with the overall realism of the film, they are all songs that occur in normal life.
  
  I don't want to reveal much in the way of details about the movie since much of the joy of the film is discovering the ways it defies expectations. In broad outline it is about a street singer who has put his emotional life on cold storage because of a broken heart and the woman he meets who helps him open himself back up to life. During the day in Dublin he sings familiar standards for tips but at night, when the crowds thin out, he sings his own original material. We see him this way for the first time through the eyes of the Girl as she first meets him (in the credits the two lead characters, never addressed by name, are listed as Guy and Girl). He, played by Frames' frontman Glen Hansard, is singing an absolutely stunning song with intense passion. As he finishes, the camera pulls back to reveal her standing there. From thenceforward we see the two of them get to know each other as they perform a string of amazing songs together.
  
  Neither Glen Hansard nor Markéta Irglová is a professional actor. Hansard did have a prominent role in another great Dublin film about music, THE COMMITMENTS. In that one Hansard played the band's guitarist Outspan Foster, one of the two original members of the band (he is the one who resists the suggestion of the other original member to call their band A Flock of Budgies). In real life, of course, Hansard has long been the resident genius of the great Irish rock band The Frames and both one of the great singers in rock as well as an absolutely brilliant songwriter (neither of which anyone who sees this movie will be inclined to doubt). While visiting Prague a couple of years back he met a precocious teenager who was none other than Markéta Irglová. One thing led to another and within a year of their meeting they recorded and album together entitled THE SWELL SEASON. Next they appeared in this film by John Carney, himself a former member of The Frames. So their time together has been amazingly productive (she also appeared on the critically acclaimed new album by the Frames, THE COST).
  
  The film is filled with wonderful little moments, like the first meeting (driven by Hansard's magnificent performance of "Say It To Me Now"). Or the way the sound engineer recording the Guy's song goes from disinterest to interest as he realizes just how good he is. Or the marvelous extended shot that follows the Girl from a convenience store where she has bought batteries for a CD player down the street for a few blocks as she sings the lyrics she has written for a song the Guy has written the music for.
  
  This truly is a very special film. It does not have the greatest production values; indeed, it feels like the low budget that it is. It works because the two leads, while not professional actors, have a wonderful chemistry both romantically and musically and because Glen Hansard is one of the finest songwriters around. In fact, the soundtrack for the film has to go down as one of the greatest soundtracks ever released. I would urge anyone who loves the music in this film to investigate not merely the soundtrack for the film, but both THE SWELL SEASON, the album by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, and two albums by the Frames, FITZCARRALDO and THE COST.
  
  Update 8/8/07
  
  I just read today on IMDB.com that Twentieth Century Fox, which owns the distribution rights to the movie, has been so pleased with its performance so far - nearly $7 million in box office on only 140 screens - that they are going to release it to a much larger number of screens and give it a publicity push. Obviously this means that this gem will be granted a much larger audience. Hopefully it will garner the kind of acclaim it deserves.
  
  

• A Real Find. A Beautiful Film.

  
  By A3M2WW0PO34B94 on 2007-05-31
  "Once" is a real find. The story of a street musician who meets a Czech émigré on the streets of downtown Dublin, is a believable, well-made film about love, dreams and making things happen.
  
  Guy (Glen Hansard, a real musician who also appeared in the film "The Commitments"), a street busker who sings his heart out on the streets of Dublin, works in his dad's vacuum repair shop. One day, a young lady (Marketa Irglova), a Czech immigrant, begins to ask him questions about his music, his passions, the inspiration for his ballads. They form a friendship and she encourages him to follow his dream and put together a demo album. As the friendship grows, she helps him negotiate a recording studio and practice the songs. In the process, she invites him into her home, to meet her mother and young daughter. During the course of their relationship, they grow closer, but she is still married and can't let anything happen. They round up some other musicians and begin to work on the demo, to help him with his dream.
  
  "Once", written and directed by John Carney, is a very intimate look at the relationship between these two people. A lot of handheld camera work, close shots and grungy, real locations help to give the film an incredible cinema verite look and style. The camera work is handheld, but not overly shaky, creating shots with an intimate, close appearance, really thrusting us into the middle of the action.
  
  The relationship between Guy and Girl (as they are listed in the credits) is really an interesting one that draws you into their lives. Initially, the guy is a bit put off by the girl, she is extremely chatty and forthcoming, asking him a lot of questions about his music, why he sings certain songs, the inspiration, etc. As a street musician, he is naturally a little weary about people getting too close, he simply wants them to enjoy a little of the music and drop a couple of coins or bills into his guitar case and leave. So, the young woman who stops to ask questions, in her accented English, is a minor annoyance, until he realizes she is genuinely interested.
  
  As their relationship grows, he feels a fondness for her, and as a single man, he naturally flirts with her. But when she realizes this is going too far, she gives him a little look, a minor reprimand, and he realizes she is right. They are friends, sharing an experience. And she is married, even if her husband still lives in the Czech Republic and they are having problems.
  
  As they become friends, they become involved in each other's lives. He meets her mother and daughter, sees where she lives, has dinner at their house. She meets his dad and becomes involved in his making of a demo album.
  
  When the duo shows up at the recording studio, with their fellow street musicians, the sound engineer greets them, but secretly reveals his true feelings to someone on his cell phone. He has a feeling this group is another example of people with too much ambition and not enough talent; they don't even know the technical details of recording the music. But when they start playing, he recognizes they have talent, the songs are good, and the lead singer, our guy, is quite good, so he becomes engrossed in making the demo as good as possible. He becomes a part of their team, investing part of himself in the production of the demo.
  
  Part of the beauty of "Once" is that nothing seems forced. They don't have sex, simply to make the story more dramatic. In fact, the course of their relationship seems all the more real because they simply remain friends, close friends invested in each other's lives and livelihood. There aren't any manufactured crises involving her mother and baby or his dad. They simply struggle with real life.
  
  Also, the music is quite good throughout the film. Guy sings a song, a love ballad he wrote for his girlfriend who moved away to London, a few times, each time making it a little better. Finally, when they record it for the demo, it is as good as it could be, with the girl playing keyboard and singing backup and the addition of the other musicians they have recruited.
  
  "Once" is a film about the guy following his dream. He wants to make a demo and travel to London, to try to get a contract. But perhaps more importantly, he wants to reunite with his girlfriend. All he needs is a little push, a little support and guidance from a friend. He finds that friendship with the girl, his new friend who helps him realize he should go for his dream.
  
  
  

• A charming, real film..

  
  By A3MYY88NLEJ8Y3 on 2007-06-23
  I decided to see this on a whim, not really knowing what it was about. It was just what I needed. As someone who has been going through a lot of stress lately and not really listening to music, it reminded me to bring the music back. If the songs were not good, there is no way that I would have made it through the film.
  
  A man and a woman meet while he is playing guitar and singing in the street for money. She wants to hear more. He is a little jaded from his last relationship, but he can't help but like her. Later on, he finds out that she plays piano and they come together in the piano store to play a song together. That was my favorite song in the movie. I found myself glued to the screen, and then, my mind wandering, because it reminded me that I need to discover some new music.
  
  Things don't always end in life they way they do in Hollywood movies (and I'm glad for that) but you still can't help dropping a few tears. So touching and beautiful. I will definitely buy the soundtrack.
  
  

• An Unforgettable Film

  
  By A37E6RW5BUX4U0 on 2008-04-17
  An Irishman (Glen Hansard) in Dublin is a vacuum repairman by trade, but musician by heart and he plays his songs on the streets. There he meets up with a Czech immigrant (Markéta Irglová) they strike up an easy friendship over their love of music and of course, a broken Hoover.
  
  Over the next couple of days they share their music, write songs together, and then eventually record an album. All the while they are building a friendship that borders but never crosses to romance because of his love for an ex and her rocky marriage.
  
  The music was written and performed by the actors and the result is magical. As I sit here typing this review, the songs are happily playing in my head; memorable melodies and haunting lyrics. The credits had barely started rolling when I hopped online to order the soundtrack. He plays guitar and has a voice that is sexy and powerful. She plays the piano and has a voice that is sweet and angelic. Together they are superb.
  
  There is something so sensual about really good music, the way every note and word can touch every inch of your soul and take over your heart. I was literally moved to tears by a few of the songs in this film, not because they were sad, though some were, but because they were so beautiful, so perfect.
  
  Every ONCE in a blue moon I will watch a film that will captivate me from the start and stay with me long after it's over. This is one of those films. It touched me on so many different levels and evoked so many different emotions and thoughts. I will watch this movie, listen to its soundtrack, repeatedly, and never tire of it, because it's just that good.
  
  The storyline is bittersweet and eloquent; a modern day musical about two people at a crossroads in their lives when they meet. Each one gives the other one the shoulder and the shove they need to get on with and get what they want out of life. A simple, but magnificent film with amazing music and actors; the result is unforgettable. Brilliant.
  
  Cherise Everhard, April 2008
  
  
  

• I *hated* this movie

  
  By A1M9WSTQ1M7IGX on 2007-12-20
  I thought this movie was a complete disaster. It all starts with my reaction to the songs. To be blunt, they *sucked* big time. It was impossible to believe that these people were creating any sort of "magic" when my ears told me otherwise, and the whole thing lacked credibility. When you see characters in front of the screen reacting as if they are there at the moment of creation of some great music, and you hear something that is worse than forgettable, it just fails miserably. As this movie did. So the bottom line...listen to the music first. If it works for you, then perhaps you will like the otherwise trite and not terribly believable fairy tale of a story. And if it doesn't, save your time and money and watch Disney's "Snow White" instead--it's a lot more credible and enjoyable.
  
  
• "When Your Minds Made Up" ~ Emotional Scars, Self-Exploration And The Healing Power Of The Creative Process
  By A141HP4LYPWMSR on 2007-12-25
  The '07 release 'Once' certainly won't blow you away with state-of-the-art production values. In fact at times it will make you feel as though you're watching someones home movies. However once you move beyond all the usual Hollywood expectations of what a good film should be you'll find yourself deeply involved in this simple and sensitive story and personal invested in the charming relationship evolving between Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.
  
  Follow along as their chance meeting on the streets of Dublin turns into an opportunity for the two to explore their past failures and heartbreaks through the medium of musical composition. As their portfolio of songs grow the beginning sparks hinting at the possibility of something more between the two come into play. Will the musical muse give way to its kindred spirit Cupid, or is the music all they really share?
  
  Terrific film from beginning to end with an excellent soundtrack comprised of the songs created by the two main characters in the storyline. This is what independent filmmaking is all about!
  
  
• Cloying and Manipulative
  By A1E0APHODMK896 on 2007-12-27
  At Gitmo, one of the things the interrogators do to `break' prisoners is to subject them to prolonged exposure to songs from TV's Sesame Street. It turns out that even when it's designed to be benign or even therapeutic, being forced to listen to certain music truly is torture. Also at Gitmo, if a `detainee' tries to end his suffering by means of starvation, the U.S. military will force feed him so as to prevent this.
  
  'Once' is a force-feeding of folk music.
  
  The musical performances are characterized by an affected earnestness and a self-styled soulfulness. They are self-conscious without being self-aware: in other words, a pre-ironic mindset. Watching them made me uncomfortable in the way that one is uncomfortable when a naïve, sensitive, and bad poet insists upon reading you his work and asking for feedback.
  
  This film is photographed with a blurry, hand held camera, and to say that the script is minimalist is an understatement. It is possible to momentarily forget that this film is fiction, that someone scripted this. In my opinion, this is a deliberate cheat, a gimmick to conceal the thinness, corniness, and improbability of the plot.
  
  This is `The Blair Witch Project,' but with music.
  
  There is a sense of arrested development with Glen Hansard's character, a self-pitying 36-year-old still living at his father's house. It's creepy to know that when this movie was made, Marketa Irglova was just 18. The pair are reported to `dating' nowadays, and it is reasonable to suspect that the relationship was probably not `platonic' when they were composing and performing together prior to filming.
  
  In short, this film feels like the fantasy of a college sophomore, neglecting his classes in hopes that music will be his ticket out. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to have a street musician move in with you, I strongly recommend this movie. It makes 85 minutes seem like a month.
  
  
  
• Dog of a movie in need of a leash.
  By A10XH9W1WM7CNT on 2007-12-23
  I don't get it. How on earth could anyone give this stale slice of mediocrity a favorable review?
  The acting was so banal it made the second-rate, cheese-ball story line seem Shakespearean. And let me go on record and say the screenplay came across as having been cobbled from every sappy `boy meets girl' endeavor to flop on the wide screen.
  The music was touted as being so powerful its contribution to the movie may well make it the "best musical film of our generation". Puleeze!! I noticed a poster of Leonard Cohen's 1973 'Live Songs' on one of the walls in the boy's bedroom . Do yourself a favor and buy the Leonard Cohen album. It's a thing of beauty and will sustain your soul for the rest of your life. Avoid this trite affair at all costs. No should have to suffer thru Once ... not even once.
  
  
  
• It Might Be an Interesting Bookend with "The Commitments"
  By A3RNP5X8ZGZIEI on 2007-08-15
  "Once" was the surprise hit of Sundance 2006, one of the world's leading independent film festivals. It can be considered an interesting bookend with "The Commitments," a 1970's film about Dublin's poor, musical youth. (Apparently, we're to read "Once" as being set a few years ago, when most of Dublin was still poor, particularly its young. We can also, presumably, believe each film gives a fairly accurate picture of its times.) Furthermore, as is well-known, Glen Hansard, with the well-known Irish band "The Frames," who was one of the lesser-noticed musicians in "The Commitments," stars in this film.
  
  Hansard plays "the guy," day job helping his father repair vacuum cleaners; otherwise to be found on the streets of Dublin, playing for pennies, busking, as they call it; the same place he was found in "The Commitments." One evening he meets "the girl," Marketa Irglova, a recent Czech immigrant; also a talented musician. They get together musically, much to the guy's benefit, and do some yearning after each other; but the girl has commitments.
  
  Much has been made of the fact that this movie was made in less than 17 days, for less than $150,000; and, as it was filmed with a handheld camera, it could be made on the streets of Dublin without a permit. Well, that's as may be, but the picture occasionally goes out of focus, and the sound is so fuzzy it's hard to catch the dialogue, let alone the music's lyrics.
  
  Furthermore, the less than 17 days is no excuse for not bothering to name the characters, nor for an embarrassingly stock footage/thinking filler beach frisby scene. There's hardly a two-shot in the film, nor any action, either. And finally, we don't always need every character's backstory; but it seems very unlikely, even in these days of the European Union, that Irish immigration would allow a single mother, with her child, and her mother, and without a real job, admission. And it seems even more unlikely that three people, anywhere, anytime, could be housed, clothed and fed on the proceeds of selling roses, or magazines, on the street.
  
  Seems to me that the movie is just lazily made. However, let me give you an advisory here: I'm no longer as young as once I was, and even if I could have gotten the music in that fuzzy soundtrack, not so sure I would "get" it. People who love the music may well love the movie, despite its flaws.
  
  
  
  
• Once is never enough when it comes to viewing this masterpiece!
  By AE9V37MS6QY8D on 2007-10-17
  During this time of the year, most movie studios release those surefire moneymakers known as "the summer blockbuster." With movies like "Pirates of the Caribbean 3," "Spider-Man 3," "Shrek the Third," "Transformers," "Fantastic Four 2," "Ocean's Thirteen," and "Live Free or Die Hard," it's hard to not be enticed into the studio's lure. But while these seasons come and go, and their neverending advertisements riddle our media, it's easy for most cinematic gems - ones more original and genuine - to fall out of our sights and sadly not be noticed until DVD release, if at all. One such gem is Fox Searchlight's release "Once," starring Glen Hansard (only noticed as the red-headed guitarist Outspan Foster from Alan Parker's 1991 hit, The Commitments (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)) and the beautiful, wistful Czech musician Marketa Irglova (whose voice somewhat resembles Tori Amos ... only Irglova's music is good).
  
  Hansard is also known as guitarist and leading man of the music group The Frames (with which director John Carney was bassist), and while he and Irglova have previously teamed up to record "The Swell Season" album as well as open for Damien Rice (whom Hansard's music sometimes resembles) on his first tour, their meeting in "Once" is so earnest and real that you'd think it was the first time these people had met. I heard most of the movie was shot with a long range lens, thus shooting the actors from afar and giving the movie more of a documentary feel than a fictional film, which works immensely. "Once" has such a basic boy-meets-girl storyline but with much more meaning. And it's that simplicity that helps make the overall message of this film so beautiful. The main characters don't even trivialize with stating names; all that matters is the connection these two have - much like that of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise. However, unlike "Sunrise," there is no pretension with these characters, who do more than have romantic feelings toward each other and avoid their rehashings of their pasts. Despite the fact that they're virtually strangers, Hansard and Irglova have faith in each other; something that's sorely lacking in today's society. The two have a wonderful chemistry and I heard that they are/were dating in real life.
  
  Set in Dublin, Ireland, "Once" is the tale of a guy (Hansard) who's a vacuum repairman at his father's shop by day and a guitarist/busker by afternoons and evenings, trying his best to support his widowed father and get over a break-up with his girlfriend. One night, while performing one of his outstanding, passionate songs ("Say It To Me Now"), he's tipped by and meets a Czech girl (Irglova), who's amazed by his song and becomes somewhat of a fan. The next day, when bringing the guy her vacuum to repair, we learn that the girl is somewhat of a musician herself - she was trained by her father to be a damn good pianist. Shortly after, the two stop by a music shop where the girl plays piano for him and he soon is taking out one of his original songs for them to both sing. What follows is a simplistic-yet-magical scene set to a beautifully haunting song, "Falling Slowly," where these characters bond. Without mincing words, this song is absolutely beautiful and brilliant! And it's a good precursor of what to expect from this film.
  
  With many critics describing this movie as a musical, or as director Carney described it: a "video album," it's easy to agree because the film's music is featured so prominently and is played to help form and mold the characters. At times, "Once" feels a bit like an epic music video, but with much more feeling and story. Each time a song comes on, you feel more drawn to these characters, their lives and the connection they have. If you don't like the music, then there's something seriously wrong with your taste and you should probably start reevaluating what you consider to be good, real music.
  
  I won't disclose any more of the film or the several scenes I loved as I'm afraid that may take away from the visceral, feelgood emotions they invoke. All I will say is that "Once" is one of the best, innovative films I've seen in a long time. It's emotionally honest, the music is better than anything you'll hear on mainstream contemporary radio, and it'll leave you feeling both inspired and rejuvenated. This is not merely a film to see; it's a film to experience! There're so many emotions and memories that surface after viewing this film and that's the sign of a great movie! I have to admit that while I'll be among the masses going to see "Live Free of Die Hard," the chance of me buying that movie on DVD is a lot more slim compared to my excitement in buying "Once" on DVD for multiple viewings! Between Hansard's humility and Irglova's charm, it's easy to fall in love with "Once" more than its title invokes.
  
  Sadly, because it's an independent film, you may have problems locating a theater where it's playing - which is a shame because, really, how many showings do we need of "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" or "Ocean's Thirteen"? But if you do notice "Once" on Netflix or at your local movie rental store, make it a top priority to see this film! Drop everything and just see it. Afterward, I'll even bet that you'll then soon be visiting a music store and buying the outstanding soundtrack or the duo's great preceding album The Swell Season.
  
  
• Perhaps the Only Musical to Excel in Realism.
  By A3UPYGJKZ0XTU4 on 2007-12-21
  "Once" is an attempt at a musical for modern audiences, in which the characters express themselves through music but don't burst into song in places where it seems inappropriate. The two main characters are musicians, so it's natural for their feelings to be reflected in the songs they write. A street musician (Glen Hansard) in Dublin, Ireland sings popular covers by day and is trying out his own music on passersby at night when a friendly and somewhat impertinent street vendor (Marketa Irglova) stops to talk. It turns out that she is a classically trained pianist from the Czech Republic. The busker never had much ambition, but he is inspired by a fruitful collaboration with his new friend and finally motivated to record his music.
  
  You may recognize Glen Hansard as the frontman for the Irish band The Frames. John Carney, who wrote and directed the film, was formerly a band member. His philosophy in casting was to get "really good singers who can half-act" instead of settling for actors with mediocre musical talents. Hansard and Irglova are not professional actors, so "Once" uses a lot of long lenses by necessity. It's shot documentary style with some handheld work, but only occasionally shaky. The awkwardness of the characters' relationship and the man's palpable frustration create a strong sense of realism. Ironically, the only thing that feels self-conscious and inauthentic is that we so rarely hear the characters names spoken. Several of the songs are quite good, and they do, indeed, seem natural in their context.
  
  The DVD (20th Century Fox 2007): There are 4 featurettes and an audio commentary. "Making a Modern Day Musical" (12 min) interviews John Carney about his inspiration and approach, working on a micro budget, non-actors, and Glen Hansard about writing the songs. "More Guy, More Girl" (9 min) talks to the director and actors about the characters' relationship and audience reaction. "Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Guy" (1 min) is a webisode animated with stick figures. "Musical Commentary with writer-director John Carney and actor/musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova" takes us through the13 songs and fragments with commentary on filming and performing them. The audio commentary with John Carney, Glen Hansard, and Marketa Irglova comments scene-by-scene on characters, filming, the role of music, genesis of the project, locations, the director's intentions. Subtitles are available for the film in English, Spanish, French. Dubbing available in Spanish.
  
  
• Once Is A Lot
  By A39IBJB2PBVC7I on 2008-02-13
  This is an almost perfect movie that seems to result from a syzygy; all the stars were aligned in its favor. Movie aficionados should know that the film was shot in 17 days on a budget of $160,000 and has, as of this writing, generated worldwide gross revenues in excess of $15 million. The director, John Carney, has little actual film experience, the star, Glen Hansard, is a non-actor musician, and the pivotal co-star, Marketa Irglova, was a 17-year old neophyte when shooting began. This tells you two things. First, there is an audience for smart, soulful movies with class that speak (or sing) up to their audience, rather than pander to its basest instincts. Second, a large production budget does not equal quality. This breathtaking gem was shot for the cost of the average Burger King commercial.
  
  As director Carney points out in one of the bonus features, there is barely a plot. (He) - a heartbroken Irish busker whose love has fled Dublin for London, encounters (Her), a practical and thoroughly charming Czech immigrant living with mother and daughter - and assorted cousins learning English by watching TV soap operas. The two form a bond that is grounded in their mutual love of music, care for each other's welfare, attraction that may or may not be romantic, and sheer loneliness. From the very moment they meet these two appear ideally suited to heal each other in very important ways.
  
  The film is so thoroughly immersed in music that it can be thought of as, "the first musical that doesn't make you want to stick your head in a bag of ferrets." The songs grow organically from the story, or vice versa, and never for a second seem forced. Once rests on the capable shoulders of professional musician and songwriter extraordinaire, Glen Hansard, whose lyrics, strumming, and singing are so intense and powerful as to be just short of unnerving - a big, brave talent. Marketa Irglova is the perfect counter-point for a man like this, she is small, precious, her piano playing is both careful and exquisite, and her voice is sweet where his is raw. There is magic in the meeting of these two, even the jaded control booth techy senses it as early on as the first track.
  
  Too many grace notes to mention even half of them. I was transfixed by the long continuous shot of (Her) in sheep slippers and dressing gown walking home from the convenience store late at night, singing her own newly coined lyrics to a melody penned by him. The broken Hoover trailing down the street behind them like a puppy on a leash was pure inspiration. Just when I thought the picture would twist into a predictable ending, it didn't, choosing instead something far more satisfying. This is not merely a movie to watch, but a movie to own, and remove from the shelf on bleak, rainy days, when you need to remember what love feels like.
  
  
• Boy Meets Girl...and They Meet the Music in a Low Budget Charmer
  By A13E0ARAXI6KJW on 2007-06-25
  I doubt if I've seen a film more unabashedly romantic in the past five years, and this small-scale 2007 film is a musical to boot. Even with its Dublin-set working-class veneer, the story is basic boy-meets-girl formula, but director/screenwriter John Carney's real-world treatment manages to transcend the conventions, even if only fleetingly, through the aching pop ballads which make up most of the soundtrack and the sincerity of the two leads. The plot focuses on an Irish street musician who plays Van Morrison hits for change during the day but reverts to his original compositions at night. Written for a long-established girlfriend who has moved away to London, his open yearning and musicianship attract the persistent attention of a young Czech girl. Despite his initial hesitation, they bond quickly over his music. There is a lovely scene in a piano shop where he sings and plays his well-worn guitar to one of his songs, a stunning heartbreaker called "Falling Slowly", while she tentatively accompanies him on the piano. The story simply goes from one number to the next while uncovering facts about the characters that guide their fate.
  
  It's been sixteen years since his memorable turn as guitarist Outspan Foster in Alan Parker's The Commitments, but Glen Hansard, lead singer of the Irish rock group, the Frames, plays the forlorn busker with a searching intensity befitting a man not only broken-hearted from a fading long-distance relationship but also worried he will end up repairing vacuum cleaners just like his stoic father. Markéta Irglová has the quirky, endearing quality necessary to play the girl. But as musicians whose compositions supply the soundtrack, their acting is secondary to the music they play. Hansard's deeply felt music immediately brings to mind Damien Rice's and David Gray's melancholy folk-rock ballads, while Irglová provides a nice complement with a voice similar to Björk's plaintive style. I have to admit the low-budget production values (it was made for just $150K) does make itself clear with some shaky, hand-held shots and overly grainy film stock. But all in all, if you are a fan of any of the musicians mentioned and remain undemanding in regard to cinematic storylines, chances are pretty good that you will enjoy this little film enormously.
  
  
• Once DVD Playback not accurate (NTSC U.S. Version)
  By A3FYGSXXN9DRGU on 2007-12-19
  
  I am one of many people who have been changed by the movie "Once." I saw the movie several times in the theater and I know the soundtrack in and out. I was also fortunate enough to see the Swell season three times here in Chicago. I am a musician and I appreciate the sincerity of the film and the way the songs told the story.
  
  
  I just purchased the Once DVD(U.S. Version - NTSC), and the experience was ruined due to the fact that the movie seemed to be playing back slower than normal making all of the songs play in a lower key, and all of the actor's voices lower than normal. I am not sure if this was noticed at the authoring house, but the final DVD is not true to the original recording. I tried the DVD in several different players, and even returned the first DVD but still had the same result with the replacement. I'm sure that many people will notice this right away. I also didn't like the airbrushed hand holding that was added and retouched on the DVD cover.
  
  I still love the film, but the DVD is not a good reproduction.
  
  
  
  
• Once
  By A22LLMSHBQ9LKG on 2007-05-27
  Splendid, sentamental, charming musical romance with an Irish twist. Set in Dublin without the flashy hollywood glamor or glib quick repartee. Well worth seeing and for "once" not long enough.
  
  
• Made me remember
  By A1KNODC4S3BX43 on 2007-07-01
  I'm pretty darned old to fall for a movie like this one, but I think I could see it once a week and there would be healing in my life! Seriously. In many ways it is just a very long wonderful music video, but the authenticity of the relationship between love and the creative process blew me away. I have very little extra money, but will probably see it at least a couple more times before the summer ends. It is rated R because the street language uses the f word - sounds poetic on an Irish tongue. If you have a young teenanger - sneak them in. I guarantee seeing the movie will make your IPOD texting kid a better person. And it will certainly work on you.
  
  
• Ad Lib
  By A328S9RN3U5M68 on 2007-12-20
  There is much to love about the quirky little film ONCE: it is honest, simple, transparent, and made with a low budget and lots of love. The leading characters are gentle people who happen to sing as well as act and the love story they create is a fragile little tale that remains in the air as a nice memory after the credits are past.
  
  A Dublin busker (Glen Hansard) is a songwriter and singer who plies his music on the streets when his is not helping his warmly generous father (Bill Hodnett) in his vacuum repair shop: his songs reflect a ruptured love affair and are sensitively poignant. Along comes a Czech girl (Markéta Irglová) who sells flowers on the streets but is impressed enough with the lad's music to stop, listen, and even put ten cents in his case. The two strike up a friendship (the girl plays the piano in a music shop during lunch hour) and in time these two bruised people interact in the wavelength of their love of music. The lad meets the girl's daughter and mother (Danuse Ktrestova) - the father of the child is still in the Czech Republic -, they all become friends, and with the help of a few fellow musicians they cut a recording that hopefully will launch the lad's career in a trip to London. The mood of the extemporaneous feeling piece is one of developing love that can only happen once, especially given the histories of each of the two musicians.
  
  Writer/director John Carney demonstrates how a simple story can be made into a touching film for under $150,000. and on a shooting schedule of 17 days. The featurettes have just as much tenderness in outlining the production of the film as the film itself. The only problem with the film for this viewer is the music, which seems redundant and repetitive: for those who favor this type of music this will not be a 'flaw'. It is admirable that films like this are being made, restoring our faith in honest craftsmanship backed by warmth of intent. Grady Harp, December 07
  
  
  
  
• An entirely new kind of musical.
  By A1FG91CM8221X1 on 2007-05-26
  I haven't seen "Music & Lyrics," the movie in which Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore play a songwriting-romantic pair, but John Carney's "Once" probably can be described as a cross between "Music & Lyrics" and "Brief Encounter." This delicate little tale of the musical collaboration and almost-romance between a thirtysomething Dublin street busker (Glen Hansard) and a young Czech immigrant to Ireland (Marketa Irglova) leaves us breathless with its simplicity and beauty. There's a certain amount of stylization--this is the movies, after all--but not the kind we're used to from movie musicals. The beautiful, melancholy songs--nearly all of them by Hansard and/or Irglova--arise organically from the characters, because they are musicians, and the songs they write are how they express themselves. Hansard and Irglova both have lovely, impassioned singing voices, and as actors they have a natural, unforced charisma. (Irglova is a first-time actress, but viewers may remember Hansard as Outspan, guitarist for "The Commitments.") Carney's hand-held cameras give the film a near-documentary feel that nevertheless doesn't skimp on either sentiment or humor. The film's very first scene, depicting Hansard's attempts while busking to keep an obnoxious drunk from stealing his tips, is laugh-out-loud funny while demonstrating the precariousness of Hansard's existence. "Once" is that rare musical that envelops us in music and beauty while bringing home the tough reality of the characters' lives.
  
  
• Deeply Moving
  By A3EE0H0NWQ9QVL on 2007-07-06
  'Once' is a movie miracle. Drawing on the lives of two poor pedestrian people in Dublin, the film is a passionate and whimsical look at making music. With genuinely good performances, a warm and witty script, and music that comes at you like a flowing stream, 'Once' is winning on every level.
  
  'Once,' as in "Once upon a time," he (Glen Hansard)(generically named a guy) meets a gal (Marketa Irglova) (similarly named) on the street. He is a musician, belting out his own songs at an outdoor mall using a guitar with a gaping hole to accompany him. At the beginning we find him chasing down a robber who's stolen his guitar case with all his change. Such is his meager existence. He hasn't quit his day job, either. He works at a small, dirty vacuum repair shop when he's not making music. She stops by him one day and is impressed. (She throws in a dime, something he has the contumely to acknowledge a few times, yet he doesn't have the money to buy her magazine, either.) She asks him pointed questions that put him on the spot, but her look and smile are so lovely that he's able to overcome the awkwardness, especially since she at first suits him as being someone she can leave her vacuum with where he performs. (It's just quirky designs like this that make the movie so effective.) He gets too forward at one point later, but he softens her interest to find that she, too, lives in a dingy apartment with her daughter, Ivana, who is just a toddler and her mother. She is from the Czech Republic. He falls in love, but both find the right notes musically. She plays the piano and the keyboards, and her voice makes them a perfect match. Remarkably, the powerfully felt music translates so well, and the purposely amateurish video clips of her show the streamlined fantasy she has become. So focused is the series of home movies that (thankfully) stick out from MTV videos and makes the latter seem overwrought. The music, the videos, and the movie sort of melt together into one story and song. His passion inspires the music, but in every way she brings out the best in him. Her passion also is in the music, but her inspiration is in many ways the same and different from his.
  
  'Once' is truly a departure from other film fare. At this point, I'll venture to wager it is one the best films of 2007. After this experience, a good movie like 'Music and Lyrics' seems like a hollow confection in comparison. (The vast majority of the songs' lyrics are credited to Glen Hansard with one by Maketa Irglova, and a few by familiar artists like Van Morrison--a perfect supplemental choice.)
  
  
• See It Maybe 'Once'
  By A3O8YT41TDXL0B on 2008-02-20
  Writer/director John Carney's charming little Irish musical "Once" gained steady critical favor since its quiet release into American theaters last year. Now with an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song (and win since this review was first written) its exposure has become more widespread, with its soundtrack selling consistently. Starring two musicians with scant previous acting experience - the Irish Glen Hansard and Czech Marketa Irglova - the film is acutely distinct in that its two principles write and perform the entire score themselves, telling the stories of their respective characters and how their lives intertwine.
  
  Emphasis on the value of dreams and loose nature of love imbues the plot, with an understated pathos informing the nature of the characters. In fact, Hansard and Irglova's roles are simply that of Guy and Girl so as to keep things universal. The film has a well-defined charm and niche appeal, but it also wallows in overly sugary romanticism and trite, self-congratulatory art. At least to a degree. If movies could be desserts, "Once" would be a creme brulee with its hard, crunchy surface of pure sugar and silky custard underneath - although it leaves a good taste, the film clearly take itself too seriously. Presentation outdoes substance.
  
  They may not be trained actors, but Hansard and Irglova are innately endearing with magnetic screen presence, amplifying Carney's story beyond its rightful realm. Because of this even their most whiney, pedestrian compositions benefit from their cinematic context. If this Guy or Girl were your friends in real life you'd probably encourage them and attend their coffeehouse gigs, yet you would also likely furrow your brow if they sold more than 100 copies of their latest demo. That is not to say that their music is of poor quality. It's not. But grabbing a guitar and howling at the moon about a love gone wrong turns stale pretty fast. Self-pity is not an art form in and of itself, regardless of the fickle taste of late 2000's record buyers. Only listeners with unrefined palettes will find anything offered here groundbreaking.
  
  The romantic subtext of the film is well executed because of the characters' clear mutual respect and understanding of each others' different walks of life. Irglova may be half Hansard's age, but that does not compromise the film's integrity. The Guy may be a cliched out of work musician with a job in his father's vacuum repair shop, busking the streets of Dublin in hopes of making spare change, but the way he meets the Girl is engaging and believable. The journey the kindred spirits embark upon never fails to entertain in spite of the tunes, which are mildly enjoyable at their best. No back button required.
  
  It is not the revolutionary musical masterpiece some have made it out to be, but "Once" is still worth a rental for those keen on romance or all things Irish. Ultimately it smacks more of cuteness than of high art, but what's wrong with that?
  
  
• Much ado about nothin'
  By A18MEO51KI240X on 2008-01-18
  Here is a musical that is not really a true musical. A story about a singer who really can't sing. The main "song" that really is not a song but the same 4 or 5 notes repeated over and over like a funeral dirge. Cheaply made and it shows. Bad acting and bad singing do not make a great movie. One star for producers having the audacity to try to make a movie in 17 days.
  
  
• A beautiful ordinary tragedy
  By A1NF7GTDEW4EQO on 2007-05-27
  Saw the movie yesterday, when it opened in our local theater. Decided this morning that I needed to look for the soundtrack. Have signed up to be notified when the movie becomes available, because it's that good.
  
  I'm not a movie critic, but this one is good enough that I want to encourage other folks to see it. It's hard to explain the reasoning without giving too much detail about the story, or building it up too much. But here's what I can say :
  
  During the movie, I recognized that I was waiting for some tragic event (my wife said as we left the theater that she kept waiting for one of them to die), because that's what would happen in a standard Hollywood movie. How sad that we've grown accustomed to movies that must throw big tragic events at us to create emotional responses because the acting, storywriting, and character development cannot suffice to make us feel emotions on a small scale.
  
  In "Once", the acting and the story (and the music) develop the characters well enough, and tell a story that is plausible enough, that an ordinary tragedy is sufficient to make the viewer feel genuine and complex emotion. All without trying too hard or backing away from it. That's brilliant. Worth seeing more than once, which is why I want to own it.
  
  
• hits all the right notes
  By AQ990HW13DP08 on 2007-06-04
  This low budget ($200,000) film has won uniformly rave reviews, not to mention the 2007 audience award at the Sundance Film Festival. The plot is about as simple as plot can get. An aspiring street musician whose girlfriend left him for London lives above his father's vacuum cleaner repair shop. A younger girl who has moved to Dublin from the Czech Republic after her husband left her hears him play and becomes his motivating inspiration. Their tender friendship is mediated by their mutual love for music, and many people have referred to this film as a musical, what with a dozen or so songs that move the story along. Best of all is a surprise and decidedly ambiguous ending. Actors Glen Hansard of the Dublin-based group The Frames and the Czech singer-songwriter Marketa Irglova (age 17) sing their own songs in this feel-good flick.
  
  
• Blown Away .... Best Movie of the Year!!!!
  By A56AA52NMMKYQ on 2007-06-10
  Winsome love story with magnetic soundtrack draws you in and takes you for a ride. Life rarely has storybook endings and neither does "Once." The story and music draw you in and pull you under in an enchanting tale of pain and passion strained through the prism of song.
  
  I would give it a "6" if I could ....
  
  See "Once" more than once!
  
  
• amanda
  By A1AC0TFR2WPW5U on 2007-07-03
  It is amazing how such a simple film can bring emotions from a depth that you never new existed within yourself. If only we all took the time to appreciate all of the simpler moments in our lives.
  Truly a must see movie! If not for the story, then for the music. But mainly, for both. This is the only way I can "review" this film. I think each person needs to see it and experience it themselves.
  
  
  
• Delightful, Lovely Film with Achingly Beautiful Music
  By A1MYM6ZVMAD70O on 2007-07-29
  I saw this last weekend. It's a simple story with wonderful chemistry/friendship between the two main characters. The music is really passionate, heartfelt, and it continues throughout the film. I have been blogging about this film, telling everyone I know that they must see it. To see the scenes where these characters are making music together. It's hard to explain just how beautiful it is to watch and to hear. I had the songs in my head the whole night and next day. I ordered the soundtrack right away and downloaded a few from blogs just to last me until the CD arrived. I will buy this film the instant it is released and plan to watch it regularly. If you don't like this film, I have to question your capacity to feel!!
  
  
• Love was real: Once
  By A1Y9HYZNBMMX4B on 2007-08-07
  You've seen the story line in other reviews. The movie will tell you that. What I hope to do is to motivate you to see this well done film. I've seen recent movies that were cute but unaffecting. This one is believable and you will feel it. Once in a while a movie comes along that changes your perspective. Once is that kind of film. Anyone who has ever been interested in making a recording, or falling in love will appreciate this film. It is touching and very real from the poverty of the main characters to the graininess of the film and the roughness of the music. I have to say I wasn't a big fan of the soundtrack before I watched the film but now it's a must-have. It's like remembering a love story to listen to it. Everyone will find something to identify with. The beginning was a little difficult due to some strong accents (maybe some subtitles would help) but that is really my only criticism. Love was real: Once.
  
  
• Still Haunting
  By AG5WYO2FG2KKX on 2007-08-09
  Saw this a few months ago; just listening to the soundtrack and find that the movie's images and music still give me goosebumps. good stuff. nuff said.
  
  
• ...and for all
  By A140XH16IKR4B0 on 2007-08-16
  "Once" is an engaging and phenomenally sweet movie about young artists trying to find an outlet for their boundless need for expression. "The Guy" is a ragged Irish street singer with a beat-up guitar who reserves his own most pained and poignant works for the evening, when no one listens anyway. We encounter "The Girl," a Czech street peddler of magazines and flowers, who also has a talent for music and who is attracted by the depth of the Guy's music. Given less talented writers, "Once" could quickly have devolved into romantic nonsense. But both the Guy and the Girl have unresolved romantic commitments that prevent them from easily falling into a tryst. Watching them grapple with their love and appreciation for each other while honoring their previous attachments is one of the joys of this movie.
  
  "Once" is basically a vehicle for publicizing the music of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová -- the leads who actually wrote most of the music in the film. One suspects that the film is a lightly veiled version of their own stories. But, the locales and characters portrayed in the film are varied and interesting. From heroin addicts, to unemployed immigrants, to street musicians and poets singing for their dinner, the film is full of characters that are real and wonderful. The music is also quite charming -- especially if you are drawn to the kind of moody, introspective folk genre that is half crazed with regret, passion and mourning over lost relationships.
  
  "Once" is a wonderful tale of two people from different backgrounds who come together, for a moment, over a love of music. It is about getting unstuck from self-imposed limits. It is about taking chances and risking failure. It is about finding lost love and starting again. It is about life itself. "Once" is a fabulous and moving look at two people who once upon a gritty time risked all to make something beautiful.
  
  
• "ONCE" YOU'll SEE IT TWICE
  By A22Z8NQ3BZSAT on 2007-09-07
  Where to begin. If this isn't the best movie of the summer, let alone the whole year, I don't know what movie is. Please go see this movie so they will make more just like this. The music is incredible, a little folk/pop that is just sensational. The acting is perfect and the story is beautiful. This should do wonderfully at the Oscars this year in the music catagories. Unfortunately the movie will probably not get a bid for best movie or the actors either. Too bad because it is truly a beautiful movie that deserves to be seen, and a soundtrack that deserves to be heard. It's rare that a movie like this comes along, don't let it get away without seeing this gem. I personally would like to thank the film makers and the actors for such an amazing gift to all of us, a job very very well done. If I could, I'd give this movie 10 stars. I LOVE THIS MOVIE.
  
  
  

• Once: Music from the Motion Picture
• Once
• The Swell Season
• Waitress (Widescreen Edition)
• Juno (Single-Disc Edition)