Once

Most helpful review Once

• Once

   

  By SAI81 (360 reviews) from Tonbridge , 14 Oct 2007

  [Highly rated reviewer]

  Guy (Hansard) meets Girl (Irglova). He’s a busker who fixes hoovers on the side. She sells flowers, plays piano, and has a broken hoover. They start making music together, become friends and, maybe, more?
  
  If you’ve got a first date coming up then you should take the object of your affection to see Once. If they are so stony hearted that they don’t warm to this utterly charming romantic musical then there’s no need for a second date.
  
  Originally John Carney’s film was going to be rather different. Glen Hansard of Dublin band The Frames (in which Carney used to play) had been drafted to write the songs and Cillian Murphy had been cast opposite Irglova. With weeks remaining before shooting Murphy dropped out and Hansard, after much cajoling, took the role himself. It’s difficult to imagine the movie any other way now.
  
  Hansard and Irglova are obviously comfortable with one another (the two had been playing music together and Hansard had recommended Irglova for the part), which allows both to give utterly natural performances and their dialogue to have an easy flow about it, in short to make the conversations seem like they aren’t scripted but merely observed. Both create very full characters in quite short order and it’s impossible not to fall a bit in love with them. This is certainly helped along by Hansard’s glorious songs. The first time Guy and Girl sing together (on Falling Slowly, the opening lines of which “I don’t know you / but I want you / all the more for that”, neatly encapsulate the movie) there is a palpable chemistry, a charge which then powers the whole movie.
  
  The other songs range from the comic (Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy) to the heartfelt (When Your Mind’s Made Up and achingly lovely Irglova solo If You Want Me) and all are beautifully played and sung with much of the music feeling like it is recorded live.
  
  It is impossible not to warm to and root for these people, be it for their songs to be successful or simply for them to get together despite obstacles like Girl’s estranged huband, who she’s left in the Czech republic and Guy’s plans to go to London. The indelible romantic moment comes after a motorcycle ride when Guy asks how to say, “Do you love him?” in Czech. When he asks his answer comes back in Czech, untranslated in the film. It’s a wonderfully ambiguous moment and one that leaves (most) audiences free to come to their own conclusion.
  
  This is not your typical movie romance. It may end at the airport but there’s no big chase no pat ending. It’s more downbeat, but more real and much more affecting. Once is a wonderful film and one that deserves a wide audience

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