See it. Now.
This afternoon I had that experience that you can only get from a great movie, with great words and even better songs.
‘Once’ is the story of one Irish guy and one Czech girl, drawn together by music and painted against the backdrop of Dublin. I have seen many movies this year and ‘Once’ is, so far, my favourite. The Miami Herald said of the film “I can’t imagine anyone seeing ‘Once’ and not instantly falling in love with it.”
I did fall in love with ‘Once’ and I fell hard. From the opening scene where Irish guy, played by real life musician Glen Hansard, sang- so openly, so raw and so real- I was hooked. ‘Once’ is, despite contrary opinion, not a musical. Nor is it a traditional movie. It’s filled with full-length performances that draw you in, much like seeing a concert unfold before your eyes. It’s also a voyeuristic peek into the lives of two genuine souls, who transcend the boundaries of love, friendship and hardship, with music. Marketa Irglova, who plays Czech girl, (also a real life musician) is sweet, scintillating and delightful in her childlike whimsicality.
Hansard has the ability to capture you with his voice, style of song and lyrics. The feeling can be compared to having the wind knocked out of you. Imagine being winded, falling to the ground and being in agony, aching, chest tightening and then suddenly- that first choke, the first breath, that feeling of air pouring through your mouth and oxygen reaching the very pit of you- how relieving that feeling is, how appreciative you are of your breath, how relaxed and pain free you suddenly feel.
That’s the way I feel when I hear Hansard sing.
That’s the entire feeling I was saturated in whilst watching this film-a great sense of relief, of gratitude and relaxation.
Entertainment Weekly coined it perfectly for me. “Just about everyone with a heartbeat has had this tingly experience. You’re at the movie, and a song, as if by magic, breaks through the surface of the drama. Suddenly, you’re no longer sitting and watching-you’re soaring.”
Released this Thursday, August 30, I recommend you see ‘Once’ and immerse yourself in its beauty.
Written by Sandi Tighello
