The lovers are "Falling Slowly"; This viewer is "Falling Fast!"

Rating: 8/10 (1 November 2012)

That goes for this and the new Tony Award Winning Broadway musical based upon this sweet movie about what relationships really are all about. This independent art-house film is a winner in every way, utilizing sentiment that is slightly bittersweet yet never sappy. A troubled songwriter gets help from an unexpected source in a very independent young woman, and their friendship develops into a love that does not involve sex, but loyalty, understanding and compassion that is never patronizing. Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová show more humanity in 85 minutes than most Hollywood stars show in their entire careers. They are both real, extremely likable people, and Irglová's character should be a candidate for sainthood. There is only a small amount of cursing; He makes an unwelcome pass that is more out of loneliness than a sexual need, and you get the feeling all he wanted was some cuddling, not fornication.
The Broadway musical goes deeper into the music than this does, but no matter how many times this movie repeats its Oscar Winning song, "Falling Slowly", I never get tired of hearing it. I saw the musical early last spring not knowing anything about the movie, only slightly recalling the song from the Academy Awards the year it won. I warned others asking me about it that they would need a package of Kleenex, and the same goes for this movie.