ONCE

Throughout high school and college, music was a huge part of my life and education. One of the experiences that brought tremendous joy was jamming. Creating new sounds and rhythms on the spur of the moment, sharing chord progressions with other musicians through instinct, skill, and some luck. It’s never perfect, but it’s always immensely fulfilling and enjoyable. Watching the film Once (2007) was akin to being part of such a jam session… a deeply personal and incredibly satisfying 86-minute jam.

Once tells the tale of an Irish guy (Glen Hansard) who fixes vacuums at his dad’s shop during business hours but then operates as a street busker at night in order to play his music and earn some extra cash. While performing he meets a young immigrant Czech girl (Markea Irglova). Though she works odd jobs (selling roses in the street and cleaning houses) she also comes from a musical family. She and the guy soon begin collaborating and creating marvelous songs. Their melodies seem to express feelings they share for each other, though the guy is getting over a recent break-up and the girl has an estranged husband.

The music is so enchanting. Almost every song was written by Hansard and/or Irglova. The two are professional musicians and had previously performed together as a folk-rock duo. This would be only the second acting experience for Hansard and the first for Irglova. Their acting inexperience aside, the two have an extraordinary chemistry and both deliver honest performances. The movie is a very low-budget one, filmed in just 17 days with handheld cameras and using natural lighting. This technique elicits a feeling of intimacy and compliments the tone of the lower working-class existence that both characters live in.

While technically this film would be categorized as a love story, it is not a predictable one. Like any great jam session, predictability is not part of the formula. And that’s a very good thing. Viewing Once was an emotionally renewing and rewarding experience. It was a stellar reminder that unforgettable storytelling, like great music, doesn’t always require big budgets.