Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: Mixed Plate

Media Credit: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Productions

Fox Searchlight Pictures
Starring: Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova
On DVD Dec. 18

Musicals are literally as old as are movies with sound, and the musical love story is almost a redundant term. However, despite our culture's now bloated catalogue of musical romances, John Carney's soft-spoken "Once" manages a fresh perspective on the guy-meets-girl story.

The film, which had a largely unnoticed theatrical run despite a successful reception at Sundance, tells the story of two strangers who meet in Dublin. Glen Hansard, lead singer of the Irish band "The Frames", plays the role officially credited as Guy, while Czech singer-songwriter Marketa Irglova plays Girl. He works at a vacuum cleaner repair shop and moonlights as a street musician; she plays a housekeeper who stumbles across his performance one evening. Literally, Guy has met Girl.

The film finds its originality in what happens after these two meet. Refreshingly, these characters never burst into song, which has become an annoying standard non-sequitur in musicals. Instead, Guy and Girl decide to make a demo CD together, and spend a week and the majority of the screen time preparing songs. The music consists of original compositions from Hansard and Irglova and tells stories of hope and heartbreak in stringy, open chords.

The lyrics of these songs communicate each character's past to the other. Irglova's character is married to a man who hasn't been around for months, while Hansard's Guy still has deep feelings for his ex-girlfriend. Thus, it becomes clear early in the film that a romance between these two is not to be. As this realization sets in, the film's achingly pretty, bittersweet songs become a eulogy to Guy and Girl's not-quite-romance.

A key to the film's success is that Hansard and Irglova were cast to sing their own songs. Their presence adds sincerity to the film's musical scenes, and gives more depth to what might otherwise have been a sentimental film.

As its title suggests, "Once" emphasizes the transience of Guy and Girl's week together. It is not a cynical film that dismisses their connection but rather a sweet and sad one that savors their encounter while acknowledging its fleetingness. After floating through this 85-minute film, you may feel similar.

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