ONCE. Dir John Carney. 2006

The Frames’ front man Glen Hansard plays a wounded busker singing songs of heartache and heartbreak on the streets of Dublin. He is spotted by a young Czech immigrant who loves his songs although they are pretty maudlin.

She is the driving force that shakes him out of his inertia, prompts him to pick up the pieces and follow his dream, and it’s interesting that she is making such a success of her life in a new country whilst he is floundering in his own. Without her inspiration he'd still be fixing vacuum cleaners in a back street shop.

They recognize each other as a pair of love casualties and this film is a touching study of two people meeting at a vulnerable time in their lives and making a deep connection. It shows how even a transitory relationship can have a profound effect on our lives, without the obvious outcome, and avoids the cliché of boy meets girl.

Despite the hand held camerawork being a bit jerky at times, intentionally arty but disconcerting, and the poor sound quality, this is sweet, tender, and subtle.

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