Day 6: "Once"

"Take this sinking boat and point it home. We still got time."

To continue my streak of mining 2007 for hidden gems, I lead you in the direction of the film “Once”. Directed by John Carney, “Once” is a film that is pretty hard to mold into one genre. In the broadest sense, it’s ultimately about human connection, with splashes of romance. As we dig further, we could even go as far to say that “Once” is a contemporary musical. The unique thing about “Once” though is that it doesn’t have all of the traits you’d find in your typical Hollywood musical. Instead of moments consisting of extravagant set pieces, flashy dresses, and musical numbers that emanate from our characters randomly, “Once” boasts stripped down numbers that organically develop from within the plot. The plot itself revolves around two people, Guy (Glen Hansard) and Girl (Marketa Irglova), who are love sick in the streets of Dublin. Guy, a vacuum fixer by day and street performer by night, has unwillingly come off of a relationship. More specifically, his girlfriend left him behind to begin a new life in London. So, he spends most of his nights on the streets of Dublin, playing original songs that ruminate on heartbreak. Girl, a flower vendor, has also seen her significant other leave her behind, but her situation is a little different. She has a child to raise.

Feeling vulnerable, the only release Girl has in her daily routine is playing a piano at an instrument shop during a lunch break. Needless to say, both of these emotionally fragile characters end up meeting on the street after Guy‘s music catches the ear of Girl. Things start out rocky for the two as their initial interaction leads to an awkward moment, but when the two find themselves in front of a piano, their relationship becomes harmonious. It’s at this moment that their lonely souls, through the power of music, find the bond and strength they’ve been looking for. Guy sees a talented woman, and Girl sees a pillar of support. It is through their love of music that an everlasting friendship forms, and the heartache recedes. Eventually, this leads Girl to assist Guy in forming a demo and most importantly, installs some semblance of self-worth in Girl’s life. Over the course of a few days, both Guy and Girl are fleeting soul mates as they fulfill the voids that are plaguing them.

Now, I’ll be honest, the plot isn‘t full of subplots nor any huge revelations, but the power it generates more than makes up for any thinness the narrative may have. Credit should be given to Carney’s screenplay, but the heart of the film is rooted in the lead performances and they’re terrific. Despite this being their first film, Irglova and Hansard come across as complete professionals. Most importantly though, Irglova and Hansard are able to develop a relationship on screen that is authentic and palpable, making it seem as if they’ve known each other for decades. Yet their natural ability to be friends (and potential lovers) pales in comparison to the resonance they deliver when they’re gracing the screen with their musical talents. Seeing Irglova and Hansard play music together is as intimate as it gets. The most prevalent example of this occurs when Guy and Girl walk into a piano shop, sit down at a piano, and begin to play one of Guy’s songs. From this scene comes pure movie magic, as Hansard and Irglova, whose characters at the time are relative strangers, learn to sing a song together, and build it into this powerful love ballad. Said song is the Oscar winning “Falling Slowly”, which begins at a tepid pace, but gains momentum and comes to a stirring end.

Had Carney cast basic actors in the film, this ‘piano’ scene most likely would’ve fallen apart. But, with two musically trained artists, Carney was able to let his leads fill the scene with musical intricacies and intimacy. It is with this scene that we see these two different people begin to speak the same language. Of course the film is peppered with numerous other musical moments just like this. Some are more playful, while others are more melancholic, but all of them are more vibrant than anything a Hollywood musical could throw at you. Clearly a lot of this has to do with the performers, but a lot can be attested to how Carney handles the presentation of the musical performances. In the case of most musicals, the numbers happen sporadically as characters break into dance and song. As joyful as that may seem, these musical breakaways can often stop the story from progressing, or at least deaden it for a five minute clip. In the case of “Once”, the music always develops from the plot organically. There are no dancers, no lavish sets, and no fireworks. It’s just our performers sitting down at a piano in a recording studio, or strumming a guitar while laying in bed. By putting the music on display in this venue, Carney puts us in the moment with the characters. This obviously not only makes the film far more intimate, but it also allows for the music and the story to be woven together seamlessly. So, let’s go ahead and call “Once” a musical, but that branding is the only similarity the film has with other films of the genre. No matter what we call it, I think you’ll agree that “Once” is the type of film that’s hard to keep out of one’s ear, mind, and heart.

Falling Slowly: