John Carney's musical about a Dublin busker and an immigrant single mother who meet in the streets and record a demo tape together is a real charmer. Glen Hansard plays the nameless "guy" who belts out songs on a battered guitar and pines for his long-gone girlfriend. Marketa Irglova is the "girl" who likes his songs and begins to accompany him on the piano. During the days, the guy fixes vacuum cleaners, which leads to a nice visual joke of the girl pulling a Hoover through the heart of Dublin; she has a child and mother at home and perhaps even more of a life back in the Czech Republic.
Once, which received standing ovations and the Audience Award at Sundance, is being hailed as an innovative take on the musical, but movies that use musician characters as excuse for bursting into song aren't anything new. The reason Once is so immediately appealing has more to do with the lo-fi production values: not nearly as polished as Hustle & Flow or The Commitments (in which Hansard also appeared), Once has an authentic indie feel.
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova in Once
Many scenes appear to be shot on the run, with hand-held cameras and extras who don't seem to know they're in a movie. The music is heartfelt and fresh, and the movie doesn't have a cynical bone in its body. Once is the genuine article: a winning love story told with simple grace and humanity.
