Once

"Cool."


*****
{Boy...back to back 5 star films...but seriously, this film just blew me away and had me smiling (inside and out) from the first scene. The story of a struggling musician living in Dublin who meets and befriends an immigrant single mother, who also plays the piano…this film lives up to its growing reputation as perhaps the best film about music/musicians I’ve ever seen. The style of the film, which uses exclusively handheld camera’s and was made on a budget of around $100,000 makes it seem like a documentary. Huge kudos to director John Carney, a former band member with star Glen Hansard, who captured the beauty and magic that can happen when two (or more) people get together and make beautiful music. The friendship struck up between the two leads is so honest and so ‘real’…I can’t think of the last time a film produced such a genuine on screen friendship. Perhaps the fact that both actors aren’t really actors, but real life musicians and real life friends is the reason for this…but for it to be captured on film in such a way is truly remarkable. Plus…the music, which makes up at least half the film, is great. If you’re a musician, or a lover of music…see this film. Truly inspiring…and wholeheartedly human.}