This movie, filmed in Ireland, is a delightful story chock full of beautiful music throughout. Americans will not recognize any of the stars although the guy is Glen Hansard from the Irish band “The Frames.” Ironically, they are not given names in the film; at least, we never hear them spoken.
The guy plays the guitar (beautifully) and is a singer-songwriter in the story. He works during the day at his father’s vacuum cleaner repair shop and works as a busker (a street performer) at night singing and playing for money on the streets of Dublin. He meets a girl (with no name) who is Czech, who is a classic pianist, sells flowers and cleans houses and lives with her mother and her little girl.
They meet on the street and the girl is entranced by the beauty of the guy’s songs. She questions him at length about the subject of his love songs and finds that the girl he sings about has left him, he apparently still loves her, writes songs about her, but says he does not want her back. They go together to a piano shop which allows the girl to come in and play when she wants as she does not own a piano. They play some beautiful duets together; the girl invites the guy home to meet her mother and her little daughter.
They continue to play their music together. In reality, their song “Falling Slowly” received a 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song. The music tells their love story as they write and rehearse and eventually record their songs with a group. Together they create a disc that he can take to London to aid him in his music career.
The love story is beautiful, the music is outstanding, the ending is realistic. The couple realize their budding love for one another which they have been able to demonstrate with their music. What more could you want from a movie? For one, Glen Hansard and his co-star composed and performed all of the original songs in this understated film. Also, neither of the main characters is a professional actor which adds another realistic dimension to their story. You must see the movie to find out if their love is enough to make such a life-changing decision to remain with each other. You will want to see it “more than Once” just to experience the beauty and harmony of their music.
Source:
Movie – Once (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0907657
http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/movies/16once.html