Once -2007

When I was in middle school or high school I remember talking with my dad about the state of musicals. He said they were dead. He claimed there wasn’t much of a point to make more because they always look so tired and remote. I agreed. Audiences had grown accustomed to seeing big hollywood movies and these stilted offerings of filming a theater production ended up flat. The only way to make new ones would be to reinvent the musical. “Once” did. And it is exactly how I pictured them doing it when I was younger. Honestly, I can’t believe it took someone so long.

The songs work themselves into the story and into the movie organically. You can picture some of them as being graceful contemporary videos for songs. Both of the actors are musicians and neither of them plan to pursue acting but they are both outstanding. She is shy and quiet and forceful and demanding. He is searching and dreaming and floundering and trying.

It’s a movie that tried something different (which I always like to see) and succeeded (which everyone likes to see). The small question of whether to recommend it to everyone you know still remains. As much as I liked it I can understand others being totally bored by the singer/songwriter type of music played. The pacing is slow if you’re waiting for the music to finish so you can get back to the plot (it’s a musical people, the point is the music!). Truly, it is a slow, sweet, quiet film. But one that is backed by Glen Hansard’s powerful, moving voice.