@echo: Once

If one were to see a modern day musical, what would it look like? And more importantly, would it work? In the case of Once, winner of the Audience Award at both the Dublin International and Sundance film festivals, the answer is a resounding "yes". Real world acting, great music and a solid storyline have made this film an audience favorite.

Guy and Girl (as their credits name them) of Once meet in the alleys of Ireland. He busks in the evening and repairs vacuums by day; she works odd jobs, like selling flowers on the street, to support her struggling family. They form a musical kinship as their lives, and especially their relationships, are in repair. Girl starts to complement Guy’s music like Lisa Hannigan does for Damien Rice.

We watch as layers of each's character are revealed to each other, and watch as they become more comfortable with each other. Gal makes Guy believe he is good at what he does, and they commit to making a demo of Guy’s music. They spend a weekend in a studio recording the rhythm and lyrics borne from their everyday lament.

The ending, foreshadowed in the title but not appreciated until it takes place, was trying at first. You might have entered the movie expecting the predictable and then, when you don't get it, feel jaded. But as you sit and listen to the credits, you realize that, Yes, that’s the way it needed to end.

Many scenes are shot with a hand camera, but it never becomes annoying. This sets the mood and strips the would-be pomp, making you really feel as if you are there. The movie is like good indie music video, but with real characters and real dialogue.

Both Guy and Girl have music flowing through their veins in real life. In fact, they wrote just about all the music for the film themselves. Girl is played by Markéta Irglová, a Czech musician and songwriter. She has been into music since she was seven, learning piano and playing tunes by ear. Glen Hansard, Guy, is known as the front man for the a popular Irish rock band The Frames. John Carney, former bassist of The Frames, wrote and produced Once. Both Hansard and Irglová have a certain texture to their voice which helps to convey emotion in the film - whether brokenness, anger, or determination.

Even though the movie is well-written and well-executed, it takes a moment to adjust for the multiple full-length song scenes. But this is a musical, and it should (and can) be enjoyed as such. Apart from the abundance of Irish F-bombs, it’s the cleanest R-rated movie you can ask for. It also proves that you can have good story, drama, and movie-making without the Hollywood budget.

Once is a peculiar love story that is focused not on romance, but on the beauty of music and connection even when life is unattractive and confused.

- review assistance from James and Naomi -