Last night I watched Once, again. It's my second time seeing the movie, as it's just not one of those movies you watch over and over again, especially if you're just not that into the music. Once won the academy for best song in 2007, I believe...though don't quote me on that, I do zero research. One of my favorite magazines, Entertainment Weekly, is in love with this movie, listing it among the top 25 musicals of all time. I dunno. I mean, it doesn't really play like a musical, exactly. It's creative and low-key, realistic and a nice love story. But for me, I just don't leave that movie with a good feeling. I know what I'm supposed to feel and I could fake it, but honestly, it does very little for me.It's a story about an irish street performer who meets a czech girl who admires his music. I suppose we're meant to understand that they fall in love, slowly, through a series of meetings and pseudo-dates. But he's still hung up on his ex and she's still married, though seperated. She helps him get a demo recorded and *Spoiler Alert* they part ways after that. He goes off to London to re-connect with his ex and start his recording career, and she re-unites with her husband. As a goodbye gift, he buys her a piano, though I'm not sure how he made that happen, I was drifting off by then.
Yes, it's a heart-warming, bittersweet tale, but it's not mine. It's theirs, and for some reason, that just makes me shrug my shoulders about it. Maybe I've just never really fallen for someone like that. It's important to note that these two actors fell in love in real life while filming this movie. Normally that's not news, I mean, look at Brangelina...but these are just two relatively normal people so I suppose you might say it's more genuine.
The style of the film is SO indie. There's no tricks, very little money involved, no great set design. It's basically a camera man and actors and someone saying "action". At least, that's how it comes off, like a student film. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, it's just not a glossy big studio film. It's more organic than that. As a great film lover, I tend to prefer the gloss of the studio productions. It's an immaturity I'm not prepared to appologize for. If you do intend to check this movie out, though, be prepared to really pay attention and pick out the subtle nuances.
The music is, of course, brilliant. Now, it's not my taste...I like it, but it doesn't really strike a chord in my soul, but I suspect I'm in the minority there. It's a very sophisticated sound, and it's what the movies about, really. The music is what brought these two people together. All in all, its not my FAVORITE film, but it's well worth seeing, and maybe I just need to grow up a bit to understand it better.
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