Once by John Carney (2007)
24 February 2010I had wanted to see this film when it came out, loving the trailer, but it looked to shaky for my lovely wife to see, so I did not see it. I should have watched it once it’s song “Falling Slowly” written by the two actors Glen Hansard (of the Irish rock band THE FRAMES) and Markéta Irglová, won the academy award, because the music is amazing. And so is the story. The film is many times billed as a “modern musical” but really it is a film about 2 musicians and the music that brings them closer together over a short period of time. It is a lovely little film, with a realistic ending, and really great music. Sure the camera work is mostly hand held, but if that does not put your off, go and see this little low budget wonder, and you will fall in love with it, just like I did.
The film is about a 39 year old street performer in Dublin (Glen Hansard). He plays songs for the people in the day, and his own songs at night, while fighting off junkies who try and steal his earnings. One night a lovely 17 year old Czech immigrant worker (Markéta Iglová) who works selling flowers is lured in by his music. She can only give 10 pence, but she is interested in the ex girlfriend that the song is about, and when she learns that he fixes vacuum cleaners at his father’s shop by day, she promises to bring her broken one the next day. She arrives with vacuum in hand, and he does not want to take it, but does agree to let her go to lunch with him. He learns she is a musician as well, having learned piano from her violin playing father before he died. The two go to a local music shop where the owner lets her play, and he teachers her his song about his ex, an they play it together (this if Falling Slowly which won the academy award), making the song even better than it was. And the two begin to like each other. They head back to his father’s shop and she meets his father (BIll Hodnett) and they fix his vacuum. They then chat, and he tells her about his ex having cheated on him and left him for London. She tells him if he played the song for her, he would win her back. She says she has to go home, and he asks her to stay, but she is offended and leaves in a huff.
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…
The next day, he searches for her and apologizes, and patches things up, agreeing to meet again. This time they go to her house, meeting her mother (Danuse Ktrestova) and her 2 year old daughter (Kate Haugh), whose father is back home. He ends up playing a song for her without lyrics, and asking her to write the lyrics. Giving her a CD of his music, with the song, and lending her his CD player to listen to the music. The batteries die, and she must go to the store to get more, taking money from her daughters piggy bank, which she promises to pay back, and sings the lyrics as she walks back from the store listening to the music.
The two become closer, going to a party with his friends, where musicians all sing and perform.
Through her convincing he decides to move to London with some recordings of his music, and try to win his ex back. He asks her to record with him, and she readily agrees. They go and get a bank loan, where the loan office (Sean Miller) also is a musician, so quickly gives the loan, and the are able to rent a professional studio. And they go out and convince street musicians to play with them.
They end up going out for a day on his dad’s motorcycle, where he finds out she is still married to the an older man, but there is nothing there anymore. When he asks if she still loves her husband, she replies in Czech, Miliju tebe, which is not translated, but means that she loves him.
They go to the recording studio, where the engineer Eamon (Geoff Minogue) is depressed, thinking these yokels are wasting his time, but is blown away as soon as he hears the guys first song (When Your Mind’s Made Up).
On a brake at night the guy sees the girl playing her own song on piano (The Hill) which tells of her romantic frustrations. She breaks down, and he asks her to come to London with him, but she says she cannot bring her mother and baby allong.
They record all night, and as they walk back, he asks her if she wants to hang out longer, and she says it will only lead to hanky panky, which she does not seem to mind, but thinks it will be abad idea. They do agree to meet one more time, but she stands him up, and he can’t find her when he is leaving for the airport.
The Guy’s father listened to the demo, and gave him some money to start in London, and the guy calls his ex and agrees to come and find her. On the way to the airport he stops by the record shop and buys the girl a piano, which is delivered and she is delighted by it.
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Really a lovely little story of love that does not really work out, but from the music really should have, and I guess it did in real life for a while as the two toured together (the chemistry is obvious).
A must see film.
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