Song One

Looking through the reviews, I was initially hesitant thinking that I would not like this movie. However, I always enjoyed Anna Hathaway's acting and decided to give it a gamble. I was not disappointed.

The music in this movie was just amazing. The romance between the main characters just gives that subtle warm feeling in your heart. Though the ending was a little abrupt, I have already realised that it seems to be a common recurring theme amongst highly rated films so I'm not too picky about that.

Overall, if you just want a movie to watch, not overly emotional but gives that subtle warm feeling when the credits roll, perhaps you might want to give this movie a try.

I will keep this short and sweet, like the film. Im sad this movie has such low review, this movie wasn't exactly as I expected it to be but after watching it I realized it was exactly what it should be and that's what makes this movie special. This is a movie I will remember and gladly watch a second time. If you aren't sure about this film, I think it is worth a watch if not for any other reason than to kill time. It just might surprise you and leave you with the warm feeling it left with me. Although the reason why I gave it only nine stars is because the movie ended with a little more mystery than i would have liked, I like a film to ease me into the fact that such a beautiful story is ending. At the same time I'm torn, I like an ending that makes me wonder and keeps me on my toes as well.

"Logically, when you talking' about folk music and blues, you find out it's music of just plain people." Brownie McGhee

Hardly-plain Anne Hathaway has a camera -ready head with a perfectly coiffed pixie and larger-than life lips. Good thing because Song One spends most of its 96 minutes caressing it while she moons over a folk singer. Yep, it's a romance but still not a bad one. Compared to John Carney's Once, however, it's a one note song. Considering it's writer-director Kate Barker-Froyland's debut film, it's a winner for her because of the promise it shows.

The Nicholas Sparks-like teary tropes are there: For instance, her folk singing brother, Henry (Ben Rosenfield), is in a coma while her mother (Mary Steenburgen) is eccentric and Franny (Hathaway) has been estranged from her and her brother . Enter heartthrob folksinger James Forester (Johnny Flynn), who sings sexy naturalistic songs and wins doctoral candidate Franny's heart.

The good part of this cliché is that the love grows organically, not swiftly or too cutely. Although his singing is seductive and his look shaggy handsome, he's playing down his charisma, and that angle makes Franny too low-key and mom almost hyper when she's not quite that.

Jenny Lewis and Jonathan Rice's music is sweet and longing, accessible for those not enamored of the folk genre. Unfortunately, the music is frequently melancholic to the extreme.

The film's strength is the organic growth of the romance and the organic neo-folk musical style that moves from street singing to full house concerts with equal grace. The weakness, however, is that nothing much else happens. For those who like authentic love stories, Song One can be first in their hearts while the rest of the audience can watch Walk the Line for some real musical drama.

"All music is folk music. I ain't never heard a horse sing a song." Louis Armstrong

Sure, it's not mainstream, it's not for everyone but it has lots of heart and cool indie music. Perfect for a Saturday night in.

Anybody with soft spot for music and sentimental lovestories will find 'Song One' difficult to resist. It follows Franny (Hathaway), her relationship with his estranged brother, and the unexpected romantic tale that blossomed between her and the musician James, Forester. No, this one's not new, we've seen countless others like this before, but in its own ways 'Song One' strikes a chord, strumming its own rhythm to make its charm carry a tune.

Yet the tune falls flat and runs off-key on moments when it's needed to speak volume for every scene's emotional sentiment. Albeit earnest and capable, the charm dispells, and what started as a haunting melody runs out of tone and tangibility. Whatever genuine sentiment 'Song One' holds in the beginning, or as a whole, the movie just falls behind extra-ordinary. You would admire Anne Hathaway as expected, but would look past her charm when drawn by the more evident flaws-- most noticeably her seemingly missing connection with Johnny Flynn, her character's love interest--pulling the tune off its proper rhythm.

'Song One', regardless of its emotional authenticity , stumbles upon its musical journey finding the right tune it could keep. It has beautiful beats and melodies to hum, but fails to turn them to something audible. It's neither terrible, nor excellent, just plain ordinary. 6/10