Outstanding story of flawed people getting chances to "begin again".

Rating: Null/10 (11 January 2015)

Keira Knightley is Gretta, a Brit living in New York. Her boyfriend, singer Adam Levine as Dave, is very commercially oriented, while she likes to write songs for her own fulfillment.
Mark Ruffalo is Dan, a once successful music producer who has not had success for several years, is mostly estranged from his wife and daughter, and seems about to be fired from his job. He is on the edge of self-destruction.
One evening at an open mic spot he is having a beer when Gretta is talked into singing one of her compositions, accompanying herself on guitar. Dan sees something in her, and his imagination adds percussion, violin, and other instruments to her simple tune. He knows he can make a hit record with her but he has two obstacles ... she isn't interested and he can't get the record company to put up any money for producing a commercial quality demo.
So, much of the movie involves Gretta and Dan finally getting together to make music, and he hits upon the idea of getting volunteer musicians and using the open spaces and sounds of the city itself for the recordings.
Hailee Steinfeld is good as the teenage daughter Violet who turns out to have some ability with the guitar. Catherine Keener is good as the mother Miriam. And Adam Levine, although not an experienced actor, does fine in his role.
SPOILERS: In the end everyone gets a chance to "begin again". Gretta decides to distribute her album herself, via online streaming, changing only $1.00, the amount she would have gotten from the record company if she had let them do it. Dan and Miriam seem to have a fresh start, Violet has a fresh relationship with her parents. Dave