A small movie about a guy and a girl who love to make music.

Rating: Null/10 (2 February 2008)

In the DVD extras we learn that this movie was made on a very small budget, with a small crew and much hand-held filming. We also learn that the two main characters are musicians, not actors, and there was quite a bit of improvisation. That makes it all the more fun to watch.
Glen Hansard, 30-something, on his own a famous and successful Irish musician, is the Guy. By day he works with his dad in their shop repairing vacuum cleaners. By night, and part of the day, Guy stands on the street playing his beat-up guitar and singing songs he writes, hoping passersby will drop some loose change into his case. In the opening scene we see him chase a rogue who steals his soft case with money in it, but after he catches him has a soft heart and gives him the money anyway.
The Guy is heartbroken because his girl is off to London, and he believes she has cheated on him and says she is forgotten. But we know by the songs he writes that he still loves her.
Markéta Irglová, a teenager, is the Girl, recently from the Czech Republic, who happens by as she sells roses on the streets for a little cash. She listens to him, and they strike up a friendship, as she knows music and she has a vacuum cleaner that doesn't suck anymore. She has a mother and her small child at their apartment shack, and the Girl rejoices when she gets a job cleaning other peoples' homes. She has a husband back in the Czech Republic, but she talks as if it is over.
The Guy seems content to compose and sing on the streets, but the Girl urges him to cut a CD of his music so that he can get a contract and make real money. Together they get a loan and get a weekend of professional recording studio. Some of his street musician friends provide back-up.
As it turns out the two main actors were already friends, and their working "chemistry" is great. Over half of the movie is music and/or singing, so it is virtually a musical. Very good music. Very nicely done, with a good resolution.
SPOILERS: Even though the Guy and the Girl became close friends and had a great affection for each other, they never became lovers. Eventually she helped him decide that he needed to go to London and look for his girlfriend, and also the Girl's husband decided to come to Ireland and be with his wife and young daughter.