It’s been awhile since I truly got lost in a movie. You know that feeling where you forget that you’re watching a film flashing before you. You think you’re getting to know some new friends and getting sucked in to their story as though you were a part of it.
Once does that.
This movie captures a time, not in a historical respect, but in a very personal sense. It deals with a few days in Dublin, when two characters meet. It’s a classic guy meets girl film (quite literally – the credits role the characters names as “guy” and “girl”). The force drawing the two together is music. The guy is a vacuum repairman who plays his acoustic guitar at night on the street. The girl is from the Czech Republic and was taught to play the piano by her father.
The true power of this movie is felt in its presentation. It feels very realistic without dipping into a voyeuristic style. There are a few key elements that give this movie which feeling that few movies capture.
The casting of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová give the roles a sense of honesty. Both are musicians. Hansard has been best known as the lead singer of the group The Frames – his only other movie appearance was as the guitarist in The Commitments. The two musicians-turned-actors also provided the original music for the movie. They have recorded an album together (2006's The Swell Season) and have a musical and on screen chemistry that seems innate and palpable.
The way in which this film was shot gives it a very personal touch. The handheld camera work is fluid and rhythmic. There are some shots where the photographic angle does not change, but the depth of field is adjusted to change the focus from one character to another. The timing of these shots seems to be in tune with the actors’ emotions and expressions to add the perfect amount of nuances. The entire production of the film creates a warm and genuine realism.
In addition, the film is well writing. Throughout the film, the two main characters are caught in a lucid flirtatious bond. They are suspended in the moment before the kiss. They are perfect for each other, but their lives are complicated and different. The music that accompanies the movie is the perfect complement. It adds to the storyline while also creating the captivating element that draws the two characters together.
Once has convincing and lifelike quality. It is the best cinematic example of the creative process of making a music demo recording. More importantly, it tells a classic love tale while invigorating the musical in an original format.
www.oncethemovie.com
www.foxsearchlight.com/once/
www.myspace.com/oncethemovie
Watch the trailer:
Back to The Wheel's Still In Spin Mainpage
Submit this story to:
Del.icio.us
Digg
Blinklist
Furl
Reddit
Newsvine
Comments