Once

I too saw this film at Sundance, and we were treated to a live performance afterwards by the two main characters, who are actual musicians and not actors.

I can't say enough good things about this film. It is bittersweet and romantic, with great music (not Irish music, but the singer/songwriter type) as the two main characters collaborate on their songs and help each other become stronger and face the romantic challenges they both are suffering from. The end of the film is wonderful and Hollywood-cliché-free! I hope this film gets the distribution it deserves, because I'm going to be telling everyone to see it.

ONCE is a film to see and cherish for the magic of song and music combined in the setting of Dublin for a young man and woman who meet and who make wonderful music together. The only issue is she's married to a bloke in another country. But that doesn't stop them for creating a wonderful piece of music which will stay with them forever.

John Carney has directed and written a brilliant film which tags at your heart and makes your feet dance all at the same time. "Guy and Girl" are tremendous in their parts and the humor and passion they bring to their music. Dublin is such a great location for this film and it resembles London in so many of its blocks of buildings. The bond is also wonderful to see between father and son and the encouragement which the father gives his son.

ONCE gives you a time in your life when you meet your soul mate who brings the music to your heart you have always dreamed of...as well as a Hoover vacuum-"who knew?" See ONCE, because "once" you do, you may come back for more.

Probably the one thing I would say about this movie that is even remotely negative, is that if you don't like the music, then you are completely out of luck. Otherwise… This movie is about a Guy (no name) and a Girl (same deal) who meet on the street while Guy is busking, a side gig from his day job as a vacuum cleaner repairman. The two form a bond through music, as they jam together in a music store, then ultimately they go through a weekend recording his songs before he goes off to re-unite with his lost love. Trying to explain this movie to someone who hasn't seen it, it just seems like a movie about nothing, 'cause the plot is so spare. But everything felt true--the dialogue, the way the two musicians relate, the way it captured the feeling you get when you see something you've created become real. This movie totally won me over after the recording session, when it is early in the morning, the studio technician and the band go out to do the "car test"--seeing if the songs still sound good on inferior speakers. It is at this point you feel this "seizing of the sword" moment of triumph for Guy--this is what he has worked for, this is what he has created. It is a moment that all artists live for, and this is the reason I will go see it again.

Glen Hansard plays an unnamed street performer in Dublin. Markéta Irglová plays an unnamed Czech immigrant flower girl who takes an interest in him on a lonely night. He's getting over a girl. She's fascinated with him and soon they're making beautiful music together.

There is something magical about discovering two unknowns (Hansard is known in his country) in a sweet under-written romance. It never pushes hard. Markéta is utterly sweet. The romance is hesitant. The music is beautiful. In a world of big bombastic high budget Broadway style musicals, this indie musical has more heart than most of them could hope for.

I have to say I loved this film. I went to see it with a Japanese friend, and she loved it too.

So the plot wasn't full of 'save the world' ambitions and the good guy wasn't a millionaire playboy, but who cares? It was a gorgeous straightforward film about two people meeting at a certain time in their lives.

I read a quote recently about someone who'd seen the movie and came out wanting to hug everyone they met - and I totally agree. I cycled home humming the tunes and feeling like I haven't felt from a film since seeing 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. I know, I know - totally different films - but the zen-like feeling after seeing them both...

From a Dublin dweller, it was fun to watch the geography, as the film makers played with the locations in that certain venues were on the same street - yet it looked like the actors had to walk through town to get to them. It definitely hindered the 'who do I know in the public street' shots moments! But was interesting, as helped make Dublin be a different city to what the residents would be used to.

My recommendation is to just go and see it if you're on for seeing something uncomplicated, feel-good without being too mushy, comedic moments that everyone can relate to and some singer-songwriter music thrown in.