Thoughts on Once

Thought it was incredible :)

I love this film because:

* I've wanted to see a contemporary non-stereotypical film musical for years.
* I love the understated nature of everything in the film, and the fact the story slowly and naturally unfolds - very little is forced.
* Glen and Marketa are both brilliant musicians in reality and the music in the film is amazing. It's quite unbelievable that there are nearly ten full length songs in the film. And the mixing of the story with the music is quite brilliantly done.
* As the frontman of The Frames, Glen has been an incredibly charismatic singer/character for many years and he brings that into this film. The battered Takemine guitar in the film is the same battered Takemine that Glen has played at countless gigs worldwide.
* The film blurs the relationship between the two lead characters with the relationship between Glen and Marketa - who also met and became very close friends in reality through their music - and whose relationship is similarly somewhat ambiguous in reality.
* Jon Carney (the director) was very flexible in filming and stuck, quite simply, to whatever worked between the two actors/characters. For example, the scene on the bus ('hoover-sucker-guy') was ad-libbed at filming because neither Glen nor Marketa could carry off the extended dialog in reality. This emphasis on what worked forced really made the on-screen chemistry what it is.
* Both Jon, Glen and Marketa dislike the 'developed' areas of Dublin and so focussed a lot on the less developed, more traditional sites.
* The story of the movie is based heavily on the actors own life experiences. Glen used to be a busker and would have his money stolen as in the film. Similarly, Glens bank manager did on one occasion pull a guitar out and sing to him when he tried to get a loan.
* The inside locations are part of Glens/The Frames story. The recording studio in the film is where the Frames recorded their first album. The front room where the party took place is actually Glens front room and the people in the scene are Glens friends and family.
* The Movie did not have any license to film in public which makes the busking scenes have more of an edge to them (since in reality the shoot kept getting interrupted by police!).
* For once, it's good to see a film that isn't too far stretched from your everyday life. No hollywood special effects, no 50-person dancing scenes, no picture perfect actors, etc.
* It cost almost nothing to make and yet is so good.
* The fact the crew worked for free to film it (in only eight days I think). Well, OK, not quite free - Jon had been paid a relatively large upfront fee for filming a Christmas Special for Irish TV, so he promised the crew he'd pay them double on that if they filmed this for free.
* The quirky humour, the happy-sad not-so-obvious ending and the fact it is a moving film.
* The cast and crew, when they were making the film, had no expectations for success. Glen believed the film might sell a few copies on DVD (or he could give a few away) but that was it.
* Glen and Marketa promoted the film by playing songs after screenings.
* The film was originally rejected by Sundance when Jon Carney submitted it. Then, after a screening and show by Glen and Marketa, a Sundance Rep suggested they should submit it, which he did for them (they didn't mention the earlier rejection), the film then going on to win.

I could probably list 50 more reasons... but gotta go...

one of best films I ever seen.

feckin' brilliant... ;)

when i saw it first and the closing titles appeared, i thought to myself - wait, it's ending now, like this? like, something more was to be said... - but it was a good choice, no doubt.

you can say, the songs could be used in a little different way (after the guys leave the studio in the car, why does the same one repeat?), and that the camera could be better, etc - but... it's well done. very well. good that John left The Frames, otherwise he'd probably not do this film :o)

One of the most beautiful movies I've seen. And I can't stop listening to the music, though I don't usually listen to this kind of stuff.
If I'll have a girlfriend, I'll watch this movie again, with her, for sure.

even the first scene, where a man tried to get away with Glen's money, and Glen being this still 'non-fighting' guy, picking up his coins, that made a seatbelt in my chair appear, and when Glen was singing that night a little in the first part, that was so... incredible, the voice was just so reaaal, and so sincere, and so honessst, and that moment Marketa stopped in front of Glen, okay, i think im just reiterating the scenes, but ive only watched it once or twice i think so far, and to be honest, its my favorite movie all time (evan better than how i loved Donnie Darko and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), its just so incredible, its so wauww, and the end, it.. it makes you speechless for a month, its just so wauw, i really love this film. and something says i cant watch it for another time..