Once...

This Christmas, I received the movie Once. At first glance of the DVD case, I noticed it had already been opened. Aha. It all makes sense now. My parents had been so excited about this gift and I was quite confused how they could be so confident in this little movie. They had watched (and loved)it before wrapping it up and setting it under the tree! I'll be honest, I let it sit for a few weeks with little interest in watching it. For some reason, it just wasn't piquing my curiosity. However, one night I popped it in and was mesmerized.

"FILM SYNOPSIS: An Irish singer-songwriter performing on the streets of Dublin befriends a young Czech immigrant who is selling flowers to support her mother and child. The pair begin a musical collaboration with the hope of producing a marketable demo, working together easily as they skirt the more difficult issue of the unexpressed attraction that is growing between them." (source)

I am not ashamed to say that I am a fan of musicals. However, this movie does not fall into the "musical theatre musical" category. That category is reserved for movies where people randomly burst out into song, solve their problems through dance-offs and all ends happily.

This movie is a delicate narrative woven together with unforgettable, soulful music. The two main actors have an incredible chemistry both physically and musically. The harmonies are decadent, the passion is real and this movie is one that - despite the title - you will want to watch more than once.

GRADE: A+

This video compiles various scenes from the movie and sets it to one of the songs. The two singing in this clip are the main characters who are in fact real musicians. It was a sweet victory for this amazing duo when they won the Oscar for Best Song this year. Side note: Once was filmed in Dublin and there were areas in the movie that I had just visited last January! Always exciting.