Once

Rating: 9/10 (17 August 2010)

I think I remember seeing a trailer for this low budget British independent film, and I liked the look of it, and then I saw it listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, so I was definitely going to see it. Basically the story is set in Dublin, where busker and unnamed Guy (Glen Hansard, from the Irish band The Frames) is a guitarist/songwriter/singer who makes his living fixing vacuum cleaners in the shop belonging to his Dad (Bill Hodnett). But his passion is in his songs, which he only sings during the night on the streets, he feels like people want to hear the more popular tunes, and his music isn't just for the money. He meets up with the unnamed Girl (Markéta Irglová) from Czechoslovakia, who does some odd jobs by day and takes care of her Mother (Danuse Ktrestova) and daughter by night. She also plays the piano, and is very intrigued by his songs that he wrote about the girl he loved, left him and now lives in London, she also happens to have a vacuum cleaner that needs fixing. Their music is what brings them closer together, and as they blend their talents together, the Girl is very interested to help him achieve his dream. Then the Guy gives in, and he agrees that he should make something of his songs, so he gets the Girl and some street players together, and they rent a recording studio for the weekend to record two demos. The studio manager is very impressed by the songs that the Guy has written, and they successful put the demos onto CD ready to take to a record label. Sadly, with the Guy going to London to get a recording contract, and the Girl expecting to reunite with her husband, they part ways, with him leaving her a new piano, and what could have possibly been a romance never is. Also starring Hugh Walsh as Timmy Drummer, Gerard 'Gerry' Hendrick as Lead Guitarist, Alaistair Foley as Bassist, Geoff Minogue as Eamon, Darren Healy as Heroin Addict, Mal Whyte as Bill and Niall Cleary as Bob. The two leads make wonderful music both in the connection they have and the songs they make together, you can tell with a very slightly shaky camera this was done for almost peanuts, but it doesn't need to have anything added to make it a complete gem, a must see musical drama. I wanted Take That's "Rule The World" from Stardust to be nominated an Oscar, but it never was, and Enchanted was nominated the Oscar for Best Song three times, which is completely unfair, but I am really glad the right song from this film was picked to win. It won the Oscar for Best Song for the brilliant "Falling Slowly". Very good!