Once (2006)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

John Carney

Writer:

John Carney (writer)

Release Date:

23 March 2007 (Ireland)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

How often do you find the right person?

Plot:

A modern-day musical about a busker and an immigrant and their eventful week in Dublin, as they write, rehearse and record songs that tell their love story.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Song | Singing | Immigrant | London

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 14 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

Glen Hansard	...	Guy
Markéta Irglová	...	Girl (as Marketa Irglova)
Hugh Walsh	...	Timmy Drummer
Gerard Hendrick	...	Lead Guitarist (as Gerry Hendrick)
Alaistair Foley	...	Bassist
Geoff Minogue	...	Eamon
Bill Hodnett	...	Guy's Dad
Danuse Ktrestova	...	Girl's Mother
Darren Healy	...	Heroin Addict
Mal Whyte	...	Bill
Marcella Plunkett	...	Ex Girlfriend
Niall Cleary	...	Bob
Wiltold Owski	...	Man watching TV
Krzysztos Tlotka	...	Man watching TV
Tomek Glowacki	...	Man watching TV

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English | Czech

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Ireland:15A | USA:R | UK:15 | Germany:o.Al. | South Korea:All | Netherlands:AL | Singapore:NC-16 | Czech Republic:U | New Zealand:M | Hong Kong:IIB | Brazil:12 | Sweden:Btl | Finland:S | Malaysia:U

Filming Locations:

Dublin Airport, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Bórd Scannán na hÉireann

Trivia:

The flashback footage of Guy's girlfriend is actually that of director John Carney's girlfriend.

Goofs:

Continuity: At approx 9:30 into the movie, Guy is exiting the Hoover shop (vacuum repair shop) where he works, and twice there is a mistake between shots of the open/close sign on the front door, once before he says he is going to flip the sign and then once again after he flips the sign, and the shot goes back to the shop and then to the door again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Heroin Addict: Fuckin' deadly you are, man.
Guy: Don't fucking... don't fucking go near that case.
Heroin Addict: What? I'm just tying me laces, man.

Movie Connections:

References "Fair City" (1988)

Soundtrack:

Falling Slowly

A must see film!

I too saw this film at Sundance, and we were treated to a live performance afterwards by the two main characters, who are actual musicians and not actors.

I can't say enough good things about this film. It is bittersweet and romantic, with great music (not Irish music, but the singer/songwriter type) as the two main characters collaborate on their songs and help each other become stronger and face the romantic challenges they both are suffering from. The end of the film is wonderful and Hollywood-cliché-free! I hope this film gets the distribution it deserves, because I'm going to be telling everyone to see it.