Our take
John Carney, who directed the critically and commercially successful Once, may be the world’s best captor of charm. Begin Again tells the story of a broken-hearted singer who gets discovered by a failed showbiz executive. Their ideas and love for music are all they have to face their failures and bring their creativity to life. The original songs are charming and from Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo to Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Adam Levine, and Cee-Lo Green, the cast generate sparkling chemistry and portray the story beautifully. Begin again is a sweet and effortless watch, yet far from being your classic rom-com.
What it won
Oscars
1 nom
The story
Gretta, a budding songwriter, finds herself alone after her boyfriend Dave ditches her. Her life gains purpose when Dan, a record label executive, notices her talent.
Elsewhere
"Another sappy but engaging musical fable from the Irish writer and director John Carney, who made "Once.""
— David Denby
"Keira Knightley brings a sweet soul to John Carney's delightful sort-of sequel to his low-fi hit, Once."
— Sophie Monks Kaufman
The details
Streaming arrival
GREAT original soundtrack. Solid performances by Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley who have surprisingly good chemistry. Although the story revolves around relationships, it would be a disservice to call it a rom-com— the movie avoids many clichés that drag that genre down. Definitely worth the watch!
Excellent Movie. In fact, I had this movie in mind when I found this site while looking for other good, un-hyped films.