Once

roymond · Post by **roymond** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:52 pm

A very romantic and beautiful movieabout an Irish songwriter (played by Glen Hansard of the Frames) and the Czech woman he doesn't get. But they make music together. Both lead roles are played by the musicians they portray, and they wrote the music. Well, it's not autobiographical at all, actually. Very cool music, though. Winner at Sundance and in Berlin.

Mostess · Post by **Mostess** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:39 pm

I was hoping someone would post this. It's been on my "to do" list for a week or so, unfortunately around #200 or so.

I thought it was very sweet. But the slow, slow pace and grueling likeability of the characters got a little ominous after a while. Like someone was going to get hit by a car, or robbed, or swindled, or something...

<spoiler>
(scroll down)

...but nothing like that happened.
</spoiler>

Oh, and my wife got kind of mad that they put "this film is fictional, any similarity of the characters to living persons is purely coincidental" in the credits. I mean, the nameless characters are played by the musicians who actually wrote and performed the songs. It's not a documentary, of course, but the similarity of the "characters" to those people is certainly not purely coincidental. Just because you said it in standard legal speak doesn't make it true.

mkilly · Post by **mkilly** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:50 pm

I got the soundtrack for it at the station, but haven't listened to it yet. guess I'll give it a try.

roymond · Post by **roymond** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:52 pm

Well, he was robbed. And she dragged a vacuum around like a pet. Which was cool. And the story itself is entirely fictitious. So I don't see any problem with the disclaimer. They were developing the story and collaborating with the story and music track before they decided to use the musicians themselves...supposedly. Anyway, I totally agree that the characters were pretty much overly likable. But doesn't that sell tickets?

Mostess · Post by **Mostess** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:47 pm

roymond wrote:Well, he was robbed. And she dragged a vacuum around like a pet. Which was cool. And the story itself is entirely fictitious. So I don't see any problem with the disclaimer. They were developing the story and collaborating with the story and music track before they decided to use the musicians themselves...supposedly. Anyway, I totally agree that the characters were pretty much overly likable. But doesn't that sell tickets?

We did enjoy the film. And I still have two of those songs stuck in my head: the one in 5 was particularly cool. And a whole movie about songwriting is worth a hat tip.

roymond · Post by **roymond** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:27 pm

Mostess wrote:And a whole movie about songwriting is worth a hat tip.

Exactly. And not that cheesy Hollywood one I saw on some flight home [gag]

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 2:10 pm

I saw the guy and the girl in the movie perform today at the World Cafe Live. Pretty music, but I don't know if I could listen to a whole CD/movie full of it. I'll probably Netflix the movie when it comes out.

ddd · Post by **ddd** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:07 pm

The guy in it (Glen Hansard) is pretty much a hate/lol figure in the Irish indie 'scene'. He's in a band called The Frames who are fairly popular here and aren't awful, but the guy himself is extremely irritating. I didn't see the film, but everyone I know is kinda watching bemused as he becomes internationally successful (well, a bit!).

It's funny!

frankie big face · Post by **frankie big face** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:15 pm

This is a great movie with beautiful songs. Anyone who says otherwise lacks a heart or a soul or maybe both.

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:44 pm

As of yet, this thread has three reviews by three married guys...

hmmm, suspicious.

(I grabbed Superbad instead)

crumpart · Post by **crumpart** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:21 am

Why not revive a thread that’s 13 or so years old because I was just reminded of five of the best minutes in film history.

(It’s interesting to read some of those “meh” reviews above now. For the record, I cried like a little baby the first time I saw this film back at its original release, and also on every subsequent viewing, and then again at the stage production at The Olympia Theatre in Dublin. Also, that arcade that they walk through at the end of that clip is home to a really great secondhand record store.)

vowlvom · Post by **vowlvom** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:39 am

I was also a little underwhelmed by this one to be honest, but I did really like another of the director's films, Sing Street.

crumpart · Post by **crumpart** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:50 am

vowlvom wrote: ↑
Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:39 am
I was also a little underwhelmed by this one to be honest, but I did really like another of the director's films, Sing Street.

Brown Shoes is a fucking killer song.

crumpart · Post by **crumpart** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 4:06 am

Also, I think Sing Street really benefits from multiple viewings. I thought it was alright, just kind of enjoyable enough the first time around. The second time I watched it it killed me dead.

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