Begin Again

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)

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)

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)

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)

The director obviously thrives in a musical environment because this story was filmed with such deep feeling that I have not encountered anything similar in quite a long time. While I give Begin Again five stars, I am not saying that the movie Once was any worse. There it was mostly about the music, but the story was a bit on the sideline. This movie is great not only because of the music, but also because of the premise and mainly its interpretation. It is obvious that Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo are excellent actors because their characters were absolutely flawless. It was obvious that they were ordinary people from flesh and bone, who have their dreams but also issues and I have to say that I have not seen such realistic characters in a long time, and I was really rooting for them. The atmosphere of New York was also amazing as it made me feel like I was a part of it. It all fit together perfectly with the enjoyable music, so I cannot rate it any other way than with the perfect five stars. (08/06/2015)