A complete original

Rating: 10/10 (17 October 2007)

I was skeptical of a movie that was based on the repertoire of established musicians. That it seamlessly provided their wonderful music into an engaging fictional landscape is commendable. However, "Once" is not simply a film about music. It is an engaging film about the promise of a chance encounter, the recognition of talent, and the faith that talent can engender success. It also makes us care profoundly about the characters that inhabit it. Never before has a film incorporated music in the manner that "Once" has, and it resonates. That it was made on a $150 thousand budget is incomprehensible. That it has maintained a place in art house theaters for months since its release proves its power on its audiences. Hopefully, critics and awards voters will remember its importance at year's end.