Begin Again

Rating: 8/10 (20 September 2016)

I knew this film was about singing, and I was interested because of the leading male and female stars, and this film had positive reviews, plus a little attention during awards season, written and directed by John Carney (Once). Basically formerly successful record label executive Dan Mulligan (Mark Ruffalo) lives in New York, he is estranged from his wife Miriam (Catherine Keener), and sees his fledgling guitarist teenage daughter Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) as often as possible, but he is struggling to keep up with the changing music industry. Dan is fired from his job, he goes on a drinking binge, which leads him into a bar in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where he encounters young and fiercely independent songwriter Gretta James (Keira Knightley) who has just broken up with her long-time boyfriend and songwriting partner Dave Kohl (Maroon 5's Adam Levine), a newly successful musician, he had an affair with one of his producers' assistants. Dan is captivated by Greta's music, and offers to sign her to his former record label, she initially refuses, but reconsiders the offer and agrees, they meet with Saul (Mos Def), Dan's business partner and co-founder of their record label, but he does not see the same potential in Gretta, she is turned away. Undeterred, Dan and Gretta work together, recruiting a team of talented musicians, including Gretta's best friend, busker Steve (James Corden), to produce their own album together, recording live during the summer around New York City in various public locations, hoping it will be worthy to be published to Dan's label. During this time, Dan and Gretta bond with each other both personally and professionally, Violet is taken under Gretta's wing to play on the album also, they return to Saul with the completed album, he is very impressed with their collaboration, Gretta demands Saul give Dan his job back, an agreement is not reached, but Dan feels confident Gretta will eventually be signed to the label. Gretta sees Dave on television accepting an award, she is critical he is compromising himself for personal gain, she expresses her grievances in a song which she records as a phone message, Dave is back in New York to promote his new album, remorseful he calls and asks to see her, after some consideration they do meet. Gretta and Dave both critique each other's albums, Gretta feels betrayed that Dave took the song "Lost Stars", which she wrote and composed as a Christmas present, she believes the true meaning of the song has been lost with his heavily commercialised version, Dave mentions the audience loving it, and the energy filling the room, he believes music should be shared. Gretta did not intend this for the song, nevertheless, Dave invites her to hear him play the song at the Gramercy Theatre to see the impact, she arrives and hears her original arrangement of it, but he responds to the adoring crowd by slipping back into the commercial version, Gretta realises he is a lost cause, but she leaves with newfound closure and a smile. In the end, Dan is preparing to move back home, having made amendments with his wife, Gretta tells him she does not want the album released, instead preferring to distribute it online for $1, he does return to work with Saul, but he agrees to Gretta's request, and helps to promote it, Saul the following day jokingly fires Dan, as Gretta's album has sold 10,000 copies in its first day of release. Also starring CeeLo Green as Troublegum. Ruffalo is excellent with his creased charm as the washed-up record producer, Knightley is fantastic as the heartbroken British singer/songwriter with a great singing voice, Corden gets many laughs as her busker friend, and Levine in his first acting role is really good as well. There are subtle similarities to Once, two lost souls finding each other to make great music, of course in this case it is a singer and a producer, and there is the subplot of the singer confronting her former boyfriend, the original songs are all lovely, characters talk about artistic integrity and the manufactured studio approach, but there is not too much to put you off, you can just enjoy it as a good-natured, sweet and most worthwhile musical comedy- drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Original Song for "Lost Stars". Very good!