Once

Heard so many good things about this movie that reluctantly I decided to give it a try as I’ve been seeing so many good movies that I needed something different. First, please do not be reluctant –like me- about this movie, second believe everything that everyone that has seen it says and third you have to see it!

This Irish John Carney movie is a little gem that will make you feel extraordinarily good. It is a modern-day musical about a busker and an immigrant and their eventful week, as they write, rehearse and record songs that tell their love story. But this is no regular love story and has a very good happy ending but not Hollywood style.

Full of very nice songs written by the performers, as both are real life famous Irish musicians, you’ll end-up humming the songs and I still have them in my head… and nowadays is very hard that music touches me.

The most amazing thing about this movie is that had a micro budget, the total movie cost US$160,000!!! Okay the movie looks a little bit like the budget, but the story plus the performances by non-actors and the very skillful job directing and editing the movie make it a big, big movie. As of September 2007 the movie had gross revenue of US$9.8 million. Think about the profit. But most of all think that you really do not need a huge budget to move people and this movie moves everyone that sees it, including me.

After you see it I suggest you read about the movie story in the many sites that have info about it. The movie won the Audience Award at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, has won other awards and nominations in European awards and festivals. Last but not least, the movie is nominated in the Best Foreign Film at the 2008 Spirit Awards along with extremely good movies from Romania, France and Israel!

A must be seen that absolutely is for all audiences that like to feel good after seeing a “low-key charmer” movie.

Enjoy!