Once - A-

In theaters. R-rated, 88 minutes.

Once is an earnest Irish musical (not showtunes, singer songwriter tunes) that tells an emotional love story. A talented street musician with a broken heart and a dearth of ambition meets up with a cheerful and industrious Czech immigrant woman in Dublin and quickly falls in love through music and shared isolation. Through their own (unspoken) love, they both rekindle their own capacity to love and both independently make decisions regarding their previous loves that are impacted by their new love (no spoiler). The film is a testament that love can be life-changing and fleeting at the same time.

The "guy" in the movie (no character name used) is portrayed by Glen Hansard (The Commitments), in a genuinely raw and moving performance. His face and voice are raw and vulnerable in the lights and dim spaces of Dublin. The "gal" is Marketa Irglova in an equally powerful debut performance; her character's optimism and beauty are infectious for the 'guy' and the audience.

Their shared passion for music allows them to grow together and pour their hearts out about their previous loves while falling for eachother. There is a 2 minutes tracking shot that echoes the Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" video where the gal is singing her just penned lyrics to the guy's music, and it is unique and moving. There are several musical interludes, which I usually despise, but in this film they work and are integral to the progression and tone of the plot and the emotional arc.

67 year old writer/director John Carney (he played a detective in Clockwork Orange!) also includes interesting families around the main characters. Interesting camerawork and shots of Dublin, along with smart and talented writing make this one of the best films to come out so far this year.