ariqu
Fantastic Irish movie, I remember that I was in Ireland. John Carney is one of my favorite directors. His other films are also great. The movie is as great as I expected. I love his sense of music and world. I need always something like the movie young memory.I love it.
rdoyle29
A teenage boy in 1980's Dublin forms a band to impress a girl. His discovery of music helps him negotiate his chaotic domestic situation and the tough Catholic school he attends. A really interesting blend of well-told coming-of-age drama with music from the 80's. As our protagonist hears new styles of music, his style and the type of music he writes changes to reflect his new interests, so while he starts writing poppy tunes, he's soon writing music influenced by The Cure, Spandau Ballet and Hall & Oates. It works primarily because the songs written by director Carney are all really good and reasonable facsimiles of music from this time and place.
Mark Ritchie II
I have to start this recommendation by saying that I'm a HUGE fan of the director John Carney. 'Once' is one of my all time favorite movies and I love his style and blend of original music with storytelling. Here we have a really great coming of age story about a young boy (Conor) that has to adjust to changing home life as well as a nightmarish new school, how does he manage this...music. For anyone who enjoyed music growing up it'd be hard to deny that it helps shape youths as well as often help you cope or breathe hope and joy into the everyday challenge of just figuring out life as you mature. That pretty much is the essence of the story, listening to and creating his own music is the tool to help him get the girl of his dreams and possibly forge a new future in the backdrop of a jobless and fairly lifeless Dublin, Ireland of the mid 1980s. The original music from the movie is fantastic and it sounds like it could have been released at the same time as many of the bands Conor is influenced by such as 'Duran Duran', and 'The Cure.' The whole admiration of music and specifically the new era of music video as a new art is all really authentic, and to me his brother Brenan really is the best character in the movie as the idealist pothead who wants his brother to chase the dreams he didn't. Their final moment together was probably the best part of the movie.Its rare that I watch a movie that I want to see again immediately after I see it but that's precisely how I felt. This really is unique and has something to offer everyone from drama, laughs, and a few tugs on the heartstrings all set to a back drop of really great music.A MUST SEE!!
afrikajump
Amazing work. Music is a beautiful thing and this film shows an example of how it cannot be repressed or contained, how it is a tool for reforming people, and coping with situations.And art is an attractive thing. Finally, Rest in peace to Vera Nwabuwe who played Ngig's mum. I was sad to find out she's passed in real life <3
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