A musical I actually enjoyed

Rating: 8/10 (28 February 2008)

I'm not particularly fond of musicals. In fact, I think its safe to say I hate musicals. Once proves that there are always exceptions. It is an Irish film about two struggling musicians that cross paths. They find a common interest in music, which allows them to help each other out with their personal difficulties. I could have easily imagined this film going a little too far and losing its meaning, but it shows incredible composure and consistency in its themes.
The acting is excellent from both significant and minor roles. The two main characters are acted by real-life musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. They are simply known as "Guy" and "Girl" rather than having actual names, which I think was a great decision. You can feel a relationship form between them, but at the same time that relationship is a practical impossibility. Their performances are extremely believable.
The key part of any musical is a good music selection. Once certainly satisfies in this category; "Falling Slowly" deserves its Oscar and most of the other songs are nearly as beautiful. The film avoided cheesy or silly editing for the music segments, which I felt made it multitudes easier to watch than most other musicals.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Once. I came in skeptical, but at some point (not exactly sure when) it won me over. I must add that the ending sequence is flawless, especially the last camera pan. I genuinely cared for the characters. You will not regret watching Once at least once.