In summer of excess, ‘Once’ strikes an alternative chord
By MICHAEL J. TITTINGER Daily Press Editor
Few opening scenes set the tone for a film better than that in “Once,” a simple story of a broken-hearted musician perfecting his craft on the streets of Dublin. We begin with a shot of our protagonist Guy (Glen Hansard) and our central character — his ratty, worn, deteriorating acoustic guitar (playing itself) — trying to eke out a day’s pay on Grafton Street. A shady looking man stands urinating nearby, then pretends to dig the music before snatching the singer’s tip money and leading him on a chase through downtown Dublin. While hysterical, the scene also captures the struggles and resolve of a determined artist singing out for himself as much as any audience.
An unexpected, stripped-down reprieve from the glut of summer blockbusters and sequels, “Once” tenderly tugs on the desire within us all to take chances and follow our dreams, playing those urges against our intrinsic tendency to be “responsible.” The toughest decision to be made in the film falls upon the shoulders of Girl (Markéta Irglová), the pretty Czech pianist and would-be love interest who inspires Guy to follow his dreams of recording tracks and seeking stardom in London... without her and her familial responsibilities.
Writer/director John Carney, who played in the band The Frames along with Hansard, keeps the heartfelt soundtrack first and foremost, avoiding the temptation to insert such hackneyed conveyances such as musical montages and ready-made love affairs. There’s no holding hands running in the park going on in “Once,” just two determined souls finding inspiration in one another to make very different choices. Carney’s decision to allow the musical numbers to play in entirety tells the story of Guy, Girl and guitar as much as any dialogue could, providing a glimpse into the characters’ desires to find perfect pitch in their own scrambled lives.
Music lovers will no doubt be seeking out the Hansard-dominated soundtrack soon after the credits roll. “Falling Slowly” and “Say it to Me Now” are a couple of killer tracks that embody the spirit of “Once,” a film that warrants a second look. Four stars out of five.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 14, 2007. Read the original PDF.