Once
Dir: John Carney
2006
*****
It's really no surprise that Once is so critically acclaimed. It's a simple, low-budget musical of sorts but with a huge heart at its core. It's a triumph in film making, story telling and music. I think maybe the fact that the makers and all those involved had little aspiration for the film but were so full of passion for it anyway is the key to its success. The love story is realistic, sensible but still captivating. The music is awesome, each song as strong as the next and a couple as powerful as I've ever seen in any film, musical or live show. Now and again a film comes along that is pure magic and in 2006 it was Once. As modern day musicals go it is up there with Dancer in the Dark, okay so it's not quite a musical in the classical sense but the modern realism and unconvoluted structure make it something new in an existing genre and something I would love to see more of. This is why I love film!