Begin Again

A film rarely comments on its own narrative strategy so aptly. Begin Again uses music precisely in accordance with Dan’s statement that high-quality music can give cosmic depth to even the most banal scenes. And Carney almost ceaselessly uses music to that very effect. However, not even the best musical accompaniment can fully replace well-thought-out dramaturgy, well-developed characters and believable dialogue. The story lacks tension between the protagonists, as well any serious conflict or obstacles that they would have to overcome. If passionate musicians are limited by time or money, the narrative conceals this fact very well, as it seems that they are relatively well off and never suffer such hardship that they can’t hang out in cafés and bars or go shopping. Unfortunately for the natural-seeming actors who play them, both of the main characters are shallow and behave tersely. It’s not the forced dialogue (which tries to be clever by alluding to better films such as Jerry Maguire and Taxi Driver) that has the most life in it, but the scenes that are obviously improvised (the swimming pool) to a greater or lesser extent. However, this is true only of the dialogue between Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. Catherine Keener and Hailee Steinfeld in the roles of Dan’s mother and daughter, respectively, exist only in relation to the protagonist and serve exclusively as inanimate tools to convince us that Ruffalo is essentially a good person who loves his wife and is a good father despite his alcoholism, idleness and slightly hysterical nature. Even though Begin Again is a film without taste and without ideas, you will probably walk out of the cinema with an elevated mood if you give in to it and let it affect you. But you can’t think too much about its intellectual foundations, or lack thereof. If you do, you will soon realize how shallow and falsely broadminded the film actually is. Begin Again is outwardly sympathetic toward indie musicians, but it allows them only the path to success that leads through cooperation with major record companies. As I hinted at above, however, the fact that I refuse to accept submission to the mainstream as the norm is far from the only reason that I consider Begin Again to be a weaker film than Once. 50% (04/07/2014)

A pleasant picture that will have you enthralled and not bored for a second. Begin Again is certainly one of the better movies with a musical theme that I know. It’s full of high-quality and very listenable music. The plot isn’t particularly dramatic, but why should it be?! Its beauty lies in its simplicity and, in combination with the great cast, this works just fine. Kiera Knightly was wonderful in the role of Gretta - it fitted her like a glove. I really enjoyed the pleasant afternoon I spent in the movie theater with this. (23/07/2014)

Filming another life renewal where music plays the main role was the best thing John Carney could do. Those seven years since Once were filled with two films that no one saw, and his talent – that is, to provide viewers with enough optimism to last them at least a year ahead – had been long-awaited until Begin Again. Surprisingly, Carney has matured, polished the formal edges, and no longer feels the need to show in every shot that he is filming the most independent romance anyone has ever encountered. Thanks to the vibrant and perfectly cast central characters, Greta and Dan, he created something even better. More tightly written, even more determined, and speaking to the soul more intensely as one grows a bit older. (09/11/2014)

An incredibly naive and saccharine film with a nice musical score and a likeable cast, perfect for an afternoon or evening out. It is dramatic in places, but the bright moments still win out in the end, so it really was a film radiating positive energy. In short, a beautifully made and acted film to pass the time, pleasant both to the eyes and the ears. (07/09/2015)

I was expecting it to catch my attention a little bit due to the cast, but I didn't believe that any romance could get to me. It did, maybe also because it's not so much about the romance itself, but more about the mouth and the beauty of her creation. Ruffalo is simply a great actor, but everyone here is supporting him excellently. (23/09/2014)