Once - my new favourite film

Rating: 10/10 (20 May 2008)

I think I just watched my favourite film, ever.
ONCE tells the story of a talented singer/songwriter, and his journey to releasing his creative potential. The character is played by Glen Hansard of The Frames who are, incidentally, one of my favourite bands ever. He fixes vacuum cleaners by day, and busks on the streets of Dublin in his spare time; fending off local drunks who try to steal his takings, and only singing the songs he has written when he is sure no-one is listening.
He is spotted by a young Czech girl (Marketa Irglova) who stands alone one evening applauding his song, and proceeds to fire off a long list of pertinent questions about who he wrote it for, is she dead? and if she's not dead why he is no longer with her. He is initially taken aback by her direct line of questioning, but she is not deterred. Delighted to discover that her new friend fixes vacuum cleaners for a living, she returns the next day to the same spot with her broken hoover in tow; cue me falling in love with the film.
One of the most moving scenes takes place in her local music shop, home to "the perfect piano." They sit together - broken hoover abandoned behind them - and run through the chords of a song he has written. He asks tentatively if she can accompany him, and after a nervous slightly shaky start, the song Falling Slowly takes on a life of its own.
I watched this bit three times.
Falling Slowly scooped an Oscar this year for Best Original Song. As she was about to make her acceptance speech to Hollywood, Marketa Irglova was abruptly cut off by the orchestra, but returned to the stage moments later with a poignant speech applauding those who dare to dream; cue me falling in love with the film for a second time.
ONCE was made in three weeks, with two digital cameras. It isn't slick or polished, but quite simply, brilliant.