User Reviews

This is a wonderful, fun and touching movie. At a screening at Sundance 2007 the director described it as a musical, and it really is. The primary actors are musicians and their songs tie the movie together and tie you to them. Although the primary cast aren't actors as a first profession, they are very natural together and the film flows very well because of it. Everyone involved in this film has a great passion for music, and it is very infectious. It is one of the few films I have seen in 7 years at Sundance that received a standing ovation.

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.

Once may loosely be classified as a musical, but it has a refreshing vérité inflection. Conceived by director John Carney as a "video album," it sports a scrappy, unembellished naturalism. Carney 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 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.

Great music aside, what makes this film special is how little effort it seems to exert. If it's possible to be blindsided by simplicity--a light touch, Once does it." — John Nein

Probably the one thing I would say about this movie that is even remotely negative, is that if you don't like the music, then you are completely out of luck. Otherwise… This movie is about a Guy (no name) and a Girl (same deal) who meet on the street while Guy is busking, a side gig from his day job as a vacuum cleaner repairman. The two form a bond through music, as they jam together in a music store, then ultimately they go through a weekend recording his songs before he goes off to re-unite with his lost love. Trying to explain this movie to someone who hasn't seen it, it just seems like a movie about nothing, 'cause the plot is so spare. But everything felt true--the dialogue, the way the two musicians relate, the way it captured the feeling you get when you see something you've created become real. This movie totally won me over after the recording session, when it is early in the morning, the studio technician and the band go out to do the "car test"--seeing if the songs still sound good on inferior speakers. It is at this point you feel this "seizing of the sword" moment of triumph for Guy--this is what he has worked for, this is what he has created. It is a moment that all artists live for, and this is the reason I will go see it again.

From the moment ONCE begins, it is clear that the experience about to be had is unlike any you've had before. A busker sings for his dollar in the street. The quality of the image is grainy; the steadiness of the camera is shaky at best. The day turns into night and the song goes from bright to dark. The passion with which it is sung is almost overwhelming and suddenly borders on off putting. From the manner in which the busker is framed, it isn't clear whether anyone is there to hear his song but his fervor brushes skepticism aside and declares that the song itself and the satisfaction derived from singing it, outweigh the importance of having someone hear it. But someone is listening after all. A young woman from the Czech Republic stands transfixed before our busker on this Dublin street and a spark ignites the flame that gives ONCE its warmth. Writer/Director, John Carney, removes all convention from the movie musical and creates a film that reads like a well-written love song about two musicians falling in love with each other and the music they create together.

In the early 90's, Carney left his rock group, The Frames, to pursue a career in film-making. The Frames continued on without him and new lead singer, Glen Hansard, eventually took leave to search out new musical ventures, moving from Dublin to the Czech Republic. Here he met Marketa Irglova, a classically trained pianist, and they developed a project entitled The Swell Season. Though the two are not linked romantically, their meeting and the music that came out of that became Carney's inspiration for ONCE. During the week that follows their initial meeting on the street, the two artists who are never referred to by name in the film, learn to accept that they are inexplicably drawn to each other. Given the chance, a relationship between the two could become one that would help each other grow. He would make a great father figure to her young child and she would drive him to make something of himself. Though ONCE's tone is simple, these two characters' lives are not. He has a girlfriend in London he longs to be with but feels he cannot out of obligation to his father in Dublin, while she is still married to an estranged husband whom she is unsure she has a future with. The trick then becomes to remain in the moment with each other and never allow for their relationship to go where it naturally feels it should.

Albeit a modern approach to a movie musical, ONCE is not so modern that it leaves the music behind. Instead the music becomes the catalyst for love. She is first drawn to him by the sound of his song. He sings it with such passion that it gives her a direct view of his soul. It is not all who are able to show such vulnerability yet when the song ends, he trips over his spoken words and nothing comes out as it should. At first, she almost seems a nuisance to him. It isn't until he hears the beautiful music she can make with her hands that the glimpse of her soul captures all his attention. Theirs is a mating ritual carried out in song. When one sings or plays, the other listens. When one cannot express the proper sentiment in words, it is music that gets the point across. When the two find themselves alone in a local musical instrument shop, they learn what it means to sing together. In order to do so, they must truly listen to the sound of the other's voice and fall into the same pace and rhythm of their notes. Their voices, as it turns out, are the perfect compliment to each other. The harmony they create leads into a song that is itself a representation of the love between them, both fragile and pure.

The delicate chemistry between Hansard and Irglova is framed in such a stripped fashion that it only further serves to concretize the genuine sincerity between the two. Almost entirely hand held and lit only with natural light, ONCE seems less like intricate film-making and more like layered storytelling, or perhaps more appropriately, song writing. Put simply, ONCE is like a perfectly soft song played acoustically in a park; it seeps into your soul, soothing you as the sun beats down upon your smiling face, allowing for all cynicism to melt away while your reaffirmed belief in love is sung from your mouth.

I write these for friends and if you love movies you are a friend: I saw a movie last night that was so good that I have spent the last hour looking up information about it on the Internet Movie Data Base and related links. I have included the Fox Searchlight website for the movie at the bottom of this review so you can hear the music. So now I know that is was made in 17 days and at a cost of less than $150K and reflects a Dublin of 10-15 years ago when Dublin was much poorer and more working class.

And, I would be much poorer in life and spirit, and my heart, like most of us, covered in scar tissue from life, would not seem so vulnerable and new, if I had not seen this movie. A simple story of a street musician in Ireland, singing covers during the day for Euros, and his own music at night for cents. A verging on middle aged man, still living with his Da, repairing vacuums in a tiny shop and writing songs to his lost love in his tinier bedroom. Approached by girl, an immigrant, who loves his songs, understands the pain that gave them life, and soon they are in a music shop with the girl playing the piano and together they prove that art isn't produced from big budgets or green lit by ten vice presidents and that seventeen days and a pittance can make me get goose bumps just trying to write a review of what I saw in a dark theater with ten other people in a complex dominated by Shrek, Pirates, and Spiderman.

I knew a woman once who only read novels about unrequited love. What a wonderful phrase: unrequited love. Archaic, unrequited, love, universally known and unknown, and as a friend said about the movie and its songs: no great art came from happiness. But the movie isn't sad, it's pulsing with life and music and incident and the process of how art is made. I have always been a sucker for movies about how art is made: Shakespeare in Love, Topsy Turvey, as examples, but in both those, art that was known. In Once, on the streets of Dublin, an Irishman and a Czech girl, remind us of how, to my generation, the guitar was king, a guitar, bass, drums and piano a symphony orchestra, and there was no power like the power of rock and roll. In all generations, love sought, found, lost, and sometimes regained is the stuff that brings us to the theater, to the book, to the movie.

I'm in the midst of reading a book by an Irishman, a detective novel, the hero a reader, and the author uses the book to list books he likes: from one...'the body moves on, the mind stays and circles the events of the past.' This must be true of the writer/director.

You won't forget these people. I can't forget their songs. We should all meet, my movie loving friends, and talk about this movie in a bar in Chicago I know that has great music on the jukebox, cold cold beer, and is dark enough so we would all look good. Neil Young sang: only love can break your heart, Once asks 'how often do you meet the right person', and as fellow movie goers I ask how often can the right movie be made, shown in your local, and break/make you heart at seven of a beautiful summer's eve? It's the best movie of the year. Maybe of the last five years. But, I am not a dispassionate critic, I loved it.

I too saw this film at Sundance, and we were treated to a live performance afterwards by the two main characters, who are actual musicians and not actors.

I can't say enough good things about this film. It is bittersweet and romantic, with great music (not Irish music, but the singer/songwriter type) as the two main characters collaborate on their songs and help each other become stronger and face the romantic challenges they both are suffering from. The end of the film is wonderful and Hollywood-cliché-free! I hope this film gets the distribution it deserves, because I'm going to be telling everyone to see it.

Watching "Once" is like sitting in on a jam session. It's mellow and relaxed. It doesn't amount to much, but it's pleasant enough.

The director has said that he set out to make a movie so simple that the story could be summarized on the back of a postage stamp, and he's succeeded. An Irish busker meets a Czech émigré, and both flit around the edges of falling for each other while recording a demo album of the busker's music. Both are struggling with the loves in their lives, he with a girlfriend in London, she with her estranged husband and father to her little girl. The resolution of their stories, what resolution there is, felt right and realistic. This isn't a fairy tale, but neither is it Shakespearean tragedy. Life simply goes on.

The film's biggest asset is its music, and indeed most of the songs in the film we see performed in their entirety. The movie isn't exactly a musical in the strictest sense of the word, since characters don't spontaneously burst into choreographed musical numbers, but like the best musicals, the songs in "Once" illuminate the characters and play an integral role in the storytelling.

A low-key little gem of a movie.

Grade: A

I have to say I loved this film. I went to see it with a Japanese friend, and she loved it too.

So the plot wasn't full of 'save the world' ambitions and the good guy wasn't a millionaire playboy, but who cares? It was a gorgeous straightforward film about two people meeting at a certain time in their lives.

I read a quote recently about someone who'd seen the movie and came out wanting to hug everyone they met - and I totally agree. I cycled home humming the tunes and feeling like I haven't felt from a film since seeing 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. I know, I know - totally different films - but the zen-like feeling after seeing them both...

From a Dublin dweller, it was fun to watch the geography, as the film makers played with the locations in that certain venues were on the same street - yet it looked like the actors had to walk through town to get to them. It definitely hindered the 'who do I know in the public street' shots moments! But was interesting, as helped make Dublin be a different city to what the residents would be used to.

My recommendation is to just go and see it if you're on for seeing something uncomplicated, feel-good without being too mushy, comedic moments that everyone can relate to and some singer-songwriter music thrown in.

There is much to love about the quirky little film ONCE: it is honest, simple, transparent, and made with a low budget and lots of love. The leading characters are gentle people who happen to sing as well as act and the love story they create is a fragile little tale that remains in the air as a nice memory after the credits are past.

A Dublin busker (Glen Hansard) is a songwriter and singer who plies his music on the streets when his is not helping his warmly generous father (Bill Hodnett) in his vacuum repair shop: his songs reflect a ruptured love affair and are sensitively poignant. Along comes a Czech girl (Markéta Irglová) who sells flowers on the streets but is impressed enough with the lad's music to stop, listen, and even put ten cents in his case. The two strike up a friendship (the girl plays the piano in a music shop during lunch hour) and in time these two bruised people interact in the wavelength of their love of music. The lad meets the girl's daughter and mother (Danuse Ktrestova) - the father of the child is still in the Czech Republic -, they all become friends, and with the help of a few fellow musicians they cut a recording that hopefully will launch the lad's career in a trip to London. The mood of the extemporaneous feeling piece is one of developing love that can only happen once, especially given the histories of each of the two musicians.

Writer/director John Carney demonstrates how a simple story can be made into a touching film for under $150,000. and on a shooting schedule of 17 days. The featurettes have just as much tenderness in outlining the production of the film as the film itself. The only problem with the film for this viewer is the music, which seems redundant and repetitive: for those who favor this type of music this will not be a 'flaw'. It is admirable that films like this are being made, restoring our faith in honest craftsmanship backed by warmth of intent. Grady Harp

At the persistent urging of a friend, I saw "Once".

Rarely am I compelled to write a comment about a movie, let alone yearning to see said movie again - immediately.

I have this sinking feeling that "Once" won't be around much longer in theaters (God knows, we need every available screen for "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry") so give yourself a treat: go see it!

Be warned...you may be so affected you'll buy the soundtrack, check out all the related YouTube videos, and won't be able to get it out of your head.

Inspired, magical.

Went in not knowing much beyond the acclaim it received at Sundance -- and left seeing that the praise was well deserved.

Done for less than 200k on a 17 day shooting schedule, with musicians taking actor roles AND putting out a wonderful soundtrack, and I tell you everything about to clicked for me.

The movie lacked the pretension and predictability that follows light-hearted romantic attempts, the ending was well done, and lacked the general silliness that (I think) hurts most modern attempts at musicals -- and it does so by using well placed music to tell most of the story, and letting the dialog (which is also well written) accent it.

Will you leave this movie with a life-changing experience? Of course not, and the hype surrounding this movie is a pity because nothing ever lives up to the expectations once that train leaves the station -- but if you enjoy movies you will leave the theater thinking you just saw a fine example of what happens when you filter out the big budgets, the egos, and the studios, and just let a fine writer/director and his cast deliver a very enjoyable film.

Everyone seems to literally be in ecstasy over this film and it's just won the Oscar for best song. It went down a storm at Sundance receiving a standing ovation - even my best friends rate it highly. So many people can't be wrong? True, it's amazing that it was made on such a small budget, but in my opinion it is basically naff, hackneyed and tiresome. Maybe it's the Marmite syndrome, maybe it's the Emperors new clothes. I've watched it a couple of times thinking that I had missed something. But nothing - I was still bored and found the whole experience was exacerbated by the discomfort of watching poorly shot, unfocused and wobbly images. The music was just about bearable to me, nothing more. I don't believe there is a right way or a wrong way to make a film as long as it touches something inside you. I guess I'm perplexed and intrigued by the overwhelming and unanimous response that this is a brilliant and multi-layered work of film art and entertainment. It didn't move or entertain me and what critical faculties I posses were affronted by the cliché ridden self indulgence so poorly realised. The complete lack of any original technique 'verite' or otherwise and performers who lacked any ability to engage me. But the audiences bellow with praise and an almost religious fervour - I guess I will have to go watch it again or should I just trust to my instincts and leave well alone? You guys like Marmite, I just can't stomach it - it makes me wretch.

ONCE is a film to see and cherish for the magic of song and music combined in the setting of Dublin for a young man and woman who meet and who make wonderful music together. The only issue is she's married to a bloke in another country. But that doesn't stop them for creating a wonderful piece of music which will stay with them forever.

John Carney has directed and written a brilliant film which tags at your heart and makes your feet dance all at the same time. "Guy and Girl" are tremendous in their parts and the humor and passion they bring to their music. Dublin is such a great location for this film and it resembles London in so many of its blocks of buildings. The bond is also wonderful to see between father and son and the encouragement which the father gives his son.

ONCE gives you a time in your life when you meet your soul mate who brings the music to your heart you have always dreamed of...as well as a Hoover vacuum-"who knew?" See ONCE, because "once" you do, you may come back for more.

Don't listen to the comments left on this page by idiots who don't get the film Once is a beautiful film, in my opinion the best Irish film ever but a great film overall. Made with an almost documentary realism on the streets of Dublin (this film shows how DV is not just a fad) this film is a modern day musical but the kind of musical where scangers eye up the camera, where musical numbers take place in dirty old music shops and flats. To me this film says something about Dublin , about immigration, about music but not in a worthy annoying "a Tigers tale" way. A masterpiece with great central performances and amazing music.

I own a movie theater on Cape Cod and recently saw this film on two occasions at the New Directors Film Festival in NYC. I met John Carney ten years ago at the Golway Film Festival where I was part of a team which was reviewing film projects. John had a five minute clip of a feature he was working on "November Afternoon". I stayed in touch until he finished the film. He sent me a tape it just blew me away. "Once" like "November Afternoon" is a unique film experience. The low budget feel fits the story and the music blew me away. He captures a small slice of Dublin Life, spent the summer there in 69, that seems so real and honest. Glen and Marketa bring great strength to this story and a realism that is seldom seen in American Cinema. If you want to get in the mood for this movie then get a copy of Glen and Marketa CD "The Swell Season" five of the songs are in the movie.

ONCE is a great little film about two characters who may or may not be falling in love on the streets of Dublin, and a film that deservedly won an Oscar for its music. Most of the feelings and emotions are explored through the music here, giving this film a novel and fresh feel.

I don't really watch romantic films and I actively despise the romantic comedy genre, but I can confirm that this is a low-key and touching little movie that successfully avoids the pitfalls of its genre. I particularly liked the raw, naturalistic feel of the production, and the fact that the two main actors aren't actually actors (they're musicians instead) makes it even more remarkable.

Really, though, ONCE is a film that's all about the music and director John Carney is happy to stand back and let the tunes take centre stage. Everything, from the storyline to the style, takes second place to the music, and while few of the songs are as good as the one that won the Oscar, the way that the subject matter is handled and celebrated with undeniable enthusiasm means that this is a film that you can really get behind and enjoy.

After hearing about this movie while at Sundance, I was sad I wouldn't get a chance to see it.

Luckily it's gotten distribution!!! I just saw an advance screening in LA, and it's a wonderful movie with strong performances by both the main characters who are terrific musicians.

If you've ever wondered if a movie could capture the true essence of performance, the awe of listening to something amazing and feeling it move you, it's here! This isn't a hackneyed musical with clichés, but a carefully captured story that feels more true than any other romance I've seen unfold.

Go see it!

The movie isn't that good but truly the songs are remarkably brilliant.

On a ten scale, "Once" is a 12! It just proves that "magic" doesn't necessarily require a huge budget; A great script and inspired acting can carry the day. The setting ( Dublin,) is as true-to-life as you could hope for, and the characters are all a natural fit. My wife and I were sitting there for an hour and a half with this comfortable grin on our faces. (And please understand, I generally hate musicals, but this one works!) Irglova and Hansard are perfect for the roles, the camera work is magnificent, and the total experience gives one hope for the future of film. (You just need to go "Indy" to find the really great stuff.) Be sure to see "Once, and don't go alone; take somebody you really enjoy being with.

"Once" is the story of two people brought together by music. The question is, due to circumstances, can they ever be together? This is almost an "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" type film as it is told mainly in song by well-known Irish musician Glen Hansard and Marketa Iglova, a real-life couple. Due to the unaffectedness, attractiveness and chemistry of the two stars, the story emerges in a very sweet and natural way.

For the generation to whom this film is geared, it's absolutely wonderful. It's pure and sincere and very poignant. I admit that for me, it's not my type of music, though I did like the Oscar- winning song and appreciated that the movie was made on a shoestring and done so successfully. I really applaud the filmmaker.

This is a movie that means a lot to people and has found a niche all its own. It's great when a small film can do that. Sadly, the Hollywood studios never seem to take notice.

Unlike the film, I won't waste anyone's time reading this if you don't agree. This movie has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

I actually wanted to watch it, reading only the most recent reviews of this movie on this website. Then a friend watched it, and he said it was one of the greatest movies he has ever seen, and would watch it 100 times.

I'm a big movie buff and watch a lot of independent films as well. So, I decided to rent this film to see it for myself.

Big mistake...

The movie seemed to ooze "Indie Film". Like they purposely hand-held the camera with a bit of shake, because using a tripod would be "Hollywood" and that wouldn't be right for an awesome Indie Film, such as this one...

Also, the dialog was bad, and the constant "F" word was very, very taxing.

Maintaining their "Indie Theme", they went for music which was very "organic". In other words, horrible.

If you read the earlier, original reviews here, they are mostly negative. It's like hardcore fans found out about the negative reviews, and made a conscious effort to dispute them all.

If you like this movie, that's fine. But if you are thinking about watching this, read ALL the reviews, then judge for yourself.

But, if your looking for a movie with good production, then move along. This is only for hardcore Indie Fans.

As I've posted previously I don't really like musicals, never have, generally waayyy too cheesy for my tastes. But in the absence of something else that drew our attention we went to see Once. We were in the Cinema anyway so why not. We went mostly, I suppose, as we'd seen Glen Hansard and the Frames playing before and they were great so we thought the movie couldn't be too bad. At the end of the day we both really liked this movie, not too sentimental and the music which is written and performed by the two main characters is excellent. It irks me to see other Irish people in here with such negative views, it really seems like its something personal towards Glen Hansard. I don't know the guy whatsoever but this is about the film which is worth seeing.

I'd seen Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova live in Christchurch cathedral in Dublin which in itself was pretty different. I'd only been inside the cathedral once before pretty much as a tourist. During the gig he gave a solo performance which stands out in my mind as the best I've ever seen, just him and an acoustic guitar. I've seen A LOT of bands big and small so that is really saying something. If you get a chance go see them.