Falling in love with the right person and yet...

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2007)

Here is another take on the boy meets girl, boy wins girl heart, and boy is left... There is a lot to like in this film of a struggling artist who meets his muse only to discover that there might not be much of a chance to go past the original spiritual connection. For thousands of years, people have "fallen in love" and enjoyed themselves for a while, only to discover that it might not have the real thing. In "Once" we follow our two protagonists as they begin to explore the possibility of finding something deeper and extraordinary in their lives.
Through the use of songs, quiet moments, deep conversations, and simple camera-work, we witness how much closer they become. The two lead characters are very likable, "guy" shows an edgy, soulful side as he writes melodies and lyrics for what is unable to express otherwise. His dialogue is quite limited, but his songs are pretty expressive. "Girl" is an immigrant who by all means shouldn't be able to communicate this well, but transcends that limitation with her appreciation of music, her own, and others'.
The camera-work is not very exciting, and there is plenty of natural light here to emphasize the fact this is a quiet and simple exploration of a simple relationship. The result is extraordinary as we are moved and are able to feel some of the same emotions that "guy" and "girl" are experiencing. It's a sweet and lovely film.