Once
The one real sour note in "Once" is its occasional R-rated dialogue, which may be enough to discourage potential audience members from seeing this charming character piece. And that's a real shame.This low-key and somewhat offbeat musical drama relies upon songs to convey the emotional state of its two unnamed main characters, a pair of would-be musicians and should-be lovers.
In the wrong hands, this might have felt more like a feature-length music video than a filmed narrative, but the risky storytelling technique is done very effectively here.
"Once" is sweet and surprisingly involving, and several of the songs deserve to be hits. (The movie took home an Audience Award for the most popular World Cinema dramatic film from this year's Sundance Film Festival.)
The story follows an unnamed street musician (Glen Hansard, from the Irish guitar-pop act the Frames). During the day, he works with his father (Bill Hodnett), who repairs vacuum cleaners. When he's not working there, he's playing and singing songs for money.
At night, when there's less of a crowd, he performs some of his own compositions. That's how he meets a Czech Republic immigrant (newcomer Marketa Irglova). She's a talented musician as well — which she demonstrates by playing a Mendelssohn composition for him.
Hansard's former Frames bandmate John Carney wrote and directed the film. And Hansard and Irglova wrote and performed most of the winning, stick-in-your-head songs.
Also, at no time does the film feel gimmicky or forced. This material is refreshingly honest and realistic, and it's impossible to fake this kind of chemistry. Not surprisingly, Hansard and Irglova are apparently now an off-screen couple.
"Once" is rated R for strong sexual language (profanity and some suggestive talk), other crude slang terms and brief drug references. Running time: 88 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com