“Once” - a musical, breathtakingly beautiful …

The last movie that blew me away was “The Fountain“, with staggering visuals and haunting soundtrack. And then I saw Once today.

It’s rare to see a beauty so aching, an acting so real, a love in it’s purest hope and form. Made with an almost documentary realism on the streets of Dublin in 17 days, with two handy cams at a cost of less than $150K with the same star cast that wrote and performed for the music in the film, this “musical” is an astounding achievement. The director took a risk in choosing professional musicians over professional actors, but Glen Hansard (of the well-known Irish band the Frames) and Marketa Irglova (a Czech singer/songwriter) are not only remarkably charming together (they’re actually dating now), but they’re equally adept with the more melancholy shades (Hansard’s lonely soul, stuck on an old flame; Irglova struggling to support a mother and daughter). Burdened and brokenhearted, their musical bond is the heart of the film and of their love.

Very few interpretations of love in the contemporary world have succeeded without making it sound cliched. A perfect marriage of music and film making, a “musical”, it may call itself and turn you away but this film can touch you in so many ways, not possible in any other mainstream cinema. So much, that the lead pair do not even share a single kiss or a hug together throughout the movie. No looking into eyes. No holding each other. No missing each other. And that is precisely why this movie is so beautiful - nothing ever gets told in this movie and leaves the viewers to interpret emotions. The only other movie of this genre of “untouched love” is perhaps - Before Sunset

From the Sundance film guide: “A Dublin busker, who ekes out a living playing guitar and repairing vacuum cleaners for his dad’s shop, meets a young Czech immigrant who sells roses on the same street. She likes his song, and what’s more…she has a broken vacuum cleaner! They soon find themselves playing music together in a nearby music store (since she can’t afford a piano, the owner lets her play his floor models). Over the course of a week, they form a musical rapport and, newly inspired, decide to record an album.”. He has a broken heart and she is a single mom, still married.

Watch the movie first and listen to the soundtrack. It’s worth it. Really. Specially the songs - Falling Slowly, If you want me.

“Once” won the Oscar for best original song in 2008, best dramatic world cinema at the Sundance Film Festival and another 18 awards this year.