My wife and I took the advice of Brattleboro Reformer movie columnist Nathan Hurlbut and went to see "Once" last Saturday.
Nathan had raved about it, and he was right. "Once" is a rare and special film that manages to be warm and charming at the same time it is utterly fresh. Depicting the powerful connection between an Irish street musician (Glen Hansard of The Frames) and a young Czech woman (Marketa Irglova), "Once" is sweet without being saccharine, endearing without seeming to pander.
It also accomplishes something I didn't think possible. "Once" is the only musical I can think of that doesn't require you to suspend your disbelief. Through the songs they write together and apart, Hansard and Irglova comment on and give context to their burgeoning connection in an utterly believable manner, one that is made all the more real by director John Carney's decision to film much of the movie with hand-held cameras in faux-documentary style. The fact that neither Hansard nor Irglova is a professional actor adds to the sincerity of the film.
In all, "Once" is a film that stays with you for days afterward and moves you in ways films rarely do. It's a special gem, and it's easy to see why it was the favorite of Sundance audiences.