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The Irish romance ONCE may be a musical but it is miles away from the traditional Hollywood idea of people bursting into song. Glen Hansard (frontman for indie rock band the Frames) plays the guy a street musician who is playing for change when he meets the girl (Marketa Irglova) an immigrant from the Czech Republic. The pair immediately bond over their shared love of music (he is a guitarist and she plays the piano) and the film chronicles their tentative relationship. Both are weighed down by plenty of baggage his songs are fueled by a painful breakup and she is a young mother who left her husband behind in her native country. Like the independent favourite BEFORE SUNRISE ONCE is a simple sweet drama that doesn’t rely on an elaborate plot. With its use of digital video and handheld cameras ONCE matches its spare visual style to its intimate mood. Each moment feels stolen from real life and the story is at once familiar and fresh. Driven more by music than by dialogue ONCE features a stirring soundtrack of heartfelt indie rock sung by Hansard and Irglova. Before his foray into film director John Carney (ON THE EDGE) played bass in the Frames and his passion for music is clear in this modern musical that hits every note perfectly. Once Review Written and directed by John Carney, "Once" is a delightful modern-day musical set on the streets of Dublin. Glen Hansard (who played Outspan in "The Commitments" and is now the lead singer for The Frames) stars as a busker who only plays his own songs when the crowds have disappeared. One day, he meets a young Czech immigrant (Marketa Irglova) who turns out to be a talented pianist and their ensuing friendship inspires him to finally put his songs on tape. Carney eschews traditional song and dance numbers for a more organically integrated approach, so the characters sing the songs during jamming sessions with friends or whilst rehearsing in a piano shop. This works beautifully - for example, one terrific sequence has Irglova finishing the lyrics to one of Hansard's songs: she goes to the shop to buy batteries for her walkman and then sings the song she has just written as she listens to the music on her headphones while walking home. The film is extremely romantic in the sense that you can actually feel the characters longing for something. However, it refuses to bow to the usual clichés - for example, Hansard is still in love with his ex, who has relocated to London, while Irglova has a young daughter and is hoping to be able to bring over her husband from the Czech Republic. This puts you in the unusual position of hoping that the two leads get what they want, rather than willing them to get together. In addition, the songs themselves (composed by Hansard and Irglova) are superb and you're highly likely to find yourself trawling the CD shops immediately afterwards. In short, this is a beautifully written, superbly directed and achingly romantic musical drama that demands to be seen. Unmissable
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