ONCE - 2006
RATED - R for language. Lots of swearing mostly using the 'f' word although with their accent it's a little hard to understand and isn't used gratuitously but seems part of the culture they're in. But take it seriously. Netflix rates it 13 and over.
RATINGS - 184 Amazon (4.5/5), 15,220 IMDB (8.2/10), 270,520 Netflix (3.8/5).
AWARDS - 2008 OSCAR for Best Achievement in Music Written For a Motion Picture, Original Song. Total of 13 wins and 17 nominations at various film festivals and other venues including Sundance.
THEME - Love, Forgiveness, Relationships, Beauty of Music.
STORY - I want to start out saying ONCE upon a time because it might have fairy tale qualities but it also seems like something that really could happen. You don't have to check the rational side of your brain at the beginning. You come away thinking, that really could have happened in life. Glen lives and works with his widowed father who owns a vacuum cleaner repair service. He has also just broken off a romantic relationship with a girl who is still living in London. He wants to be a full time musician and in his spare time he plays in the downtown area on the streets of Dublin. Marketa and her infant daughter live with her widowed mother in a small apartment. We learn she is estranged from her husband (still living in the Czech Republic) and it just wasn't working out. She sells flowers and other small items on the streets to support her small family. They meet on the street when she listens to one of his songs and strikes up a conversation. She, too, loves music and 'borrows' a piano at the local music store during lunch because she can't afford a piano of her own. They find they have a shared passion for writing and creating music. A relationship starts to develop. Where will it lead? Is it more than just music? Is this the ONE chance for both of them to fulfill their dreams together? Michael Phillips of The Chicago Tribune says, "ONCE may well be the best music film of our generation."
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1 comment:
Great review, Lu. This film shows that a good story and simple filmmaking can be just as effective and even more powerful as the multi-million dollar features coming out of Hollywood. Yay! for the independent filmmaker with the vision and courage to take simple stories and tell them with conviction and clarity!
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