For Once they got it Right
I challenge anyone not to be moved by the movie Once. A story about two musicians in Ireland who fall in love, 'Once' is a
movie that you will have to look for as it's not in the bigger theaters
but it's worth driving across the country to see it. So far I've seen
it twice and I still can't get the haunting melodies out of my head. It captures the feeling of falling in love better than any other movie I've ever seen. Music and emotions soar against the awkwardness of the first shy moves in a new relationship in a gloriously bittersweet reflection of true love. The magic of the pure passion and sincerity of the amazing melodies stay with you long after you've left the theater.
Once reinvents the idea of what a musical should be so there are no
artificial bursting into song moments and no spectacular false-looking
dance numbers. The success of this movie lies in its simplicity and the
fact that it is completely credible. Set against the background of a changing Europe, it tells the story of a blossoming relationship between a street musician in Dublin and a beautiful young Czech immigrant who turns out to be an accomplished musician and their first musical collaboration in a music store is heaven on earth. Nothing is forced in the movie and you feel like you really get to
know the two main characters and it is a love story that will move even
the hardest of hearts. All the music is performed by the actors themselves.
Released by Fox Searchlight, this small-budget movie has had a more
profound effect on its viewers than any of the blockbuster movies
currently in theaters. Word of mouth testimonies quickly pushed the
sales of the album (you'll run out to buy it after seeing the movie) to
number 12 on the top iTunes downloads. Just wait until it gets a wider
release!
The whole production cost just $150,000 dollars and was shot in two weeks with leads who are real musicians. The guy (we don't learn the leads names in the movie) had acted in one movie before and she was completely new to acting and was 17 when they started filming. They are both completely charming. This movie captures the feeling of falling in love like nothing I've ever seen before. The movie has a gritty documentary-like feel but is the most inspirational, uplifting movie I've seen in a long time.
You can read reviews (glowing), see clips, and listen to the music here http://www.foxsearchlight.com/once/ and that still doesn't get across the genius of this movie. Although it has an R rating, there is no sex or violence in this movie. The tendency to use the F word every now and then earned it the rating and it is a shame as there is no venom in the way it is used. Once easily won the audience award at the Sundance festival.
I'm so pleased to share news of something that's happening this summer that is uplifting, inspiring and bound to enrich anyone who sees it. This is a totally believable tender love story with unbelievably good music that rejects everything pretentious and wins you over with its heartfelt authenticity. The first five minutes do not indicate how the movie is going to go so hold on until the music store scene and then sit back and experience something truly magical. Once is a movie you will fall in love with. Once is not enough; you will want to see it again and again.
