Once

Well, it has been a while since I have written anything real on here. It has also been a while since I have reviewed a movie on ye ole bloge. This used to be a more common occurrence. And seeing as how I don't have much to tell you, I think we are about due another review.

finally saw the movie Once. It was initially recommended to me by Afshaan, who so far hasn't let me down with her recommendations of both movies and music (props!). But actually, I was intrigued by the film before she pushed me towards it. I had seen the posters and read some good reviews, but alas, I don't have cash to see every movie that interests me. But after my friend's recommendation, I just decided to buy the DVD. Risky, perhaps, to buy a movie you have never seen. But this is actually quite a common occurrence for me. But that is a discussion for another day.

So onto the film itself. First I will say, it isn't for everyone. We'll make a film personality profile for you right now. Was Lost in Translation too slow for you? No? Ok, good. Did you like Before Sunset or Before Sunrise? Yes? Sounds promising. Is witty repartee or a twisted plot-line a necessity for you? No? OK, you may like Once. Oh wait, do you like music? I mean, really love the experience that accompanies creating music? That is a must. If these things don't describe you, dont even bother reading this review or watching the movie.

Once is a story about the power of a moment, a meeting; that cross-point in time when two people's paths intersect for a moment and change each other's future from then onward. Like the title implies, it is about the uniqueness of these temporal relational experiences. In this case, the intersection occurs in Dublin, between two people who are unmotivated and lost, in a sense. Through their common interest in music, they are able to serve as catalysts for the other's motivation.
However, the original thing about the movie is that more than half of it takes place musically. This is not a musical in the traditional sense, where songs are scripted into pushing the story forward. These musical scenes are simply of the main characters playing, recording, singing and performing their tunes. In a sense, it is almost like seeing an extended "behind the scenes" video about a music album where you see the musicians talking and laughing and recording their music.

Clearly the music is more important than any other element in this movie. The actors were/are musicians first, and this movie was really their first acting job. Perhaps because of this the acting is quite natural and easy, it is barely acting and acquires that "behind the scenes" feel I mentioned before. Another cool thing is that the two lead characters actually did write the music that their characters perform. As for the music, it is that irish singer songwriter style that Damien Rice has popularized. It is that busking friendly, melancholy acoustic sound, accompanied by a female singer. Personally, I like Glen Hansard's voice better than Damien Rice's. It is less whiny, which has always turned me off from DR. The girls voice isn't as good as DR's own Lisa Hannigan, but is adequate. The songs themselves, are less contrived and more visceral, which works quite well.

In my opinion, this movie is worth a view or two if you aren't bothered by non traditional story telling and you aren't a music snob (if you can't enjoy the music, then you won't like the movie, clear and simple). It does capture the magic intangibility of music performance though, and its power to bring people together somehow. It also captures the way people move people, and how sometimes all we need is for someone to step into our lives and breathe a fresh breath of music, art, love into us and put us on our way.