Once

Self-deprication is something I've developed into an art form and one thing I like to kid about is my lack of diction. Not that I don't have an extensive vocabulary, but it does get misused quite often. The best way to put it is in my placement tests for college I tested out of one english class while at the same time the university decided I needed remedial english, like Eng 080, or something because I couldn't handle the word analogies. Thank God I never needed to take the SAT's. So when I find a great word that I understand I obviously use it quite a bit, ok WAY too often, but I like my words.

So when I first watched the movie "Once" it spawned one of my favorite words: endearing. I use this word all of the time now, but it is the very best way to describe this movie.

En-dear-ing (en-dir ing): inspiring affection or warm sympathy

The movie is basically a modern rock musical which uses real musicians as the two main characters. The two characters are very unassuming. They would be people that just blend into every day life. That's probably why the writer/director, John Carney, doesn't even give them names. The Guy, Glen Hansard of the Irish rock group "The Frames", is an aspiring musician by night and a Hoover repairman during the day. The Girl, Marketa Irglova, sells roses and cleans houses to make due.

They meet while the Guy is playing one of his original songs on a street corner and the Girl happens to walk by. This starts an amazing relationship of friendship, love, and loss. Both of them seem to be treading water in their lives and by them meeting it inspires musical creativity and a new sense of purpose. The Guy is an excellent guitarist while the Girl is a classically trained pianist.

I never like getting too specific about movies because it ruins the fun. But it seems like every movie I love has at least one "scene". I mean a scene you will remember and you can say that it made the movie all by itself, or that it made a movie memorable instead of just good. In a later blog I'll get into the discussion of great scenes, but for now I'll just mention it from "Once".

The Guy and the Girl have just recently met and decide to go to lunch together. After lunch she takes him to her favorite music store where the owner lets her play piano for short periods at a time. This is the only way for her to play because she can't afford a piano of her own. After she dabbles on the piano for a bit, she gets him to play one of his songs for her (with his guitar which seems to be on him 90% of the movie). He agrees to as long as she will play piano along with him. The way this scene develops is classic. He teaches her the chords. She learns quickly. He sings a verse, let's her know the chorus is kicking in, she keeps up and eventually provides some back-up vocals. The song struck me as amazing, and the track, "Falling Slowly", eventually won an academy award for Best Song in a Motion Picture. I knew I had good taste.

The story unfolds pieced together by tracks of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Some are live performances that stand alone while others provide a back-drop in explanation of different plot developments.

The movie would be so-so, if the music wasn't unbelievable. The soundtrack for Once stands alone as an excellent CD, definitely the best soundtrack I've ever heard. It's hard to pick a genre for the music, it's just good. Anybody that can appreciate beautiful chords, a good beat, and some sappy lyrics thrown in for fun would really enjoy the CD. I'm sure by watching the movie you'll be as eager as I was to pick up the soundtrack.

All in all, if you love movies that develop a life of their own, and can make you laugh, cry, and everything in the middle, this is a must see. I can't really think of any other way of putting it, it's simply endearing. (sappy I know)