See "Once" many more times than once.

Rating: 10/10 (18 June 2007)

Let's say you're watching a movie and you are loving it and at the end you cheer and tell yourself that "this was an awesome movie!" and then you realize, as the credits are rolling, that the 2 main characters are just called "guy" and "girl"--their names are never mentioned the whole movie! That is the beauty of "Once", you are so drawn into the story and interplay between the guy and girl that you don't need names. Each character is defined by who they are to each other and those in their lives! Glen Hansard (singer of the Frames) does a great job of playing the heart-broken street busker/vacuum repair-man who pours his pain out in his music. The guy is so appealing and likable that, even when he has a momentary lapse of reason and acts like an arsehole, you forgive him because you know it is so out of character for him. Marketa Irglova plays "the girl" with a mix of winsome charm and worldly smarts that makes you like her from the instant that "the guy" (and the viewers) meet her. The girl is a czech concert pianist who is estranged from her husband and making a living in Dublin with the odd job here and there. She misses playing her piano, but cannot afford to buy one for herself, so she has to make do with playing occasionally in a club or in a music shop with a nice, understanding manager. When they meet, "the guy" is taking a break from his typical popular street-music set to perform his own music, a song that is both smart and soulful, but probably not popular enough to elicit any money. Their first conversation is funny and revealing, and serves to set the tone for their future interactions. There is a chemistry between them, but also a very sweet reluctance to go beyond the bounds of their relationship. "Once" is directed by John Carney (also of Frames fame) and shot by Tim Fleming, and the film style is mainly pseudo-documentary with a lot of hand-held shots and on-street settings that take place in the midst of the real world. I do have to say that Dublin and the seaside look great and there are more than a few great landscapes that will take your breath away. There are no big stars and only a few actors who might be recognizable by eagle-eyed Irish/UK movie buffs. "Once" is ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC, Glen and Marketa write their own songs and perform them in realistic settings, with nobody just breaking out into song in the middle of a scene, and without any cheesy dance scenes or spotlights. The soundtrack is catchy and soulful with some very heartfelt lyrics and easy to enjoy music. "Once" could almost be a documentary of how Glen (and Marketa, and Tim) hit it big; they are (were?) on tour in the US. John Carney does a masterful job of telling the story in a very appealing manner while avoiding a lot of the clichés that infest so many movies today. And yet, there are many familiar scenes where you almost know what is going to happen, but are still pleasantly surprised when it does. Especially touching for me was the scene where the guy plays his completed demo for his dad, nervously awaiting a verdict; great stuff! "Once" is the kind of movie that isn't widely publicized or splashed on the TV or radio at first, but then there is such acclaim from those who have seen it that pretty soon everybody is jumping on the bandwagon. 2007 is (so far) are really good year for movies, but I'd venture to day that "Once" is one of the best of the year. "Once" is worth see more than once. Tell your friends, neighbors and acquaintances to go see "Once", they will thank you for the tip ( and you will be able to go with them).