Once (2006)
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Two struggling musicians in Dublin find a shared musical connection while navigating their personal lives.
The story
A thirty-something busker named Guy performs on Grafton Street in Dublin. His performance is interrupted when he chases a man who steals his money. A 19-year-old Czech magazine and flower seller, known as Girl, is drawn to his music and begins a conversation with him about his songs. Upon learning he repairs appliances, she asks him to fix her broken vacuum. The following day, she returns and reveals she is also a musician. The two begin to interact through their shared passion for music, leading to a collaborative musical journey in the heart of Dublin.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Guy, a busker in Dublin, meets Girl, a Czech immigrant. They begin a musical collaboration, performing together in a music store and at a party. Guy is struggling with the memory of an ex-girlfriend, while Girl is secretly married but living in Dublin. They decide to record a demo together in a studio, where they perform several songs. After the session, Girl reveals her husband is coming to join her in Dublin. Guy, planning to move to London, is left alone to say goodbye. He eventually buys a piano for Girl and contacts his ex-girlfriend, who is happy about his arrival. Girl reunites with her husband and plays the new piano in their home.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 86
- Production countries
- Ireland
- Original languages
- English; Czech
- Directors
- John Carney
- Writers
- John Carney · writer
- Cast and characters
- Glen Hansard · Guy; Markéta Irglová · Girl; Hugh Walsh · Timmy Drummer; Gerard Hendrick · Lead Guitarist; Alaistair Foley · Bassist; Geoff Minogue · Éamon; Bill Hodnett · Guy's Dad; Danuse Ktrestova · Girl's Mother
- Genres
- romantic musical drama; musical drama
- Themes
- music; love; artistic collaboration
- Tone and mood
- romantic; poetic
- Premise and plot tags
- musical; romance; drama
- Reception
- The film received widespread acclaim from critics and was a commercial success, earning substantial per-screen box-office averages in the United States.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 97% · scale: approval rating · review count: 159; Metacritic · score: 88 · scale: out of 100 · review count: 33
- Awards and nominations
- Independent Spirit Award · Best Foreign Film · win; Academy Award · Best Original Song · 2008 · win
- Production trivia
- The film was adapted into a successful stage musical.; The film was produced on a budget of €112,000.; The musical party scene was filmed in Hansard's own flat.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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