Begin Again
Director: John Carney
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine, and Catherine Keener.
Rated R for language.
John Carney, the director from the surprise hit Once, is back with a new tale involving relationships and music. There are a lot of familiarities between the two films, but Carney is obviously in his element with these types of stories. Begin Again is one of those sweet surprises that seem to come along every summer, but are often skipped over for more traditional flare.
Begin Again revolves around two people who are both down on their luck. We have Dan (Ruffalo), once a successful music producer, who has just been fired from his own label due to his recent failures including alcoholism. There is also Gretta (Knightley) who followed her boyfriend and co-songwriter Dave (Levine) to New York as he pursues his breakout music career, and she soon finds herself the ex-girlfriend of a now widely popular musician. When Dan hears Gretta play a soft, yet honest, song at a local bar he suddenly sees her potential. Together, the two of them will record an album live on the streets of New York City, and they will discover what it is they loved about music and life in the first place.
So the plot may sound a little too sweet for the cynics of the world, but it's hard not to get swept up in this charming and beautiful film. The characters are genuine even if a bit cliche, but Ruffalo and Knightley have surprisingly great chemistry on screen. Mark Ruffalo has always been a great actor and I've enjoyed him in everything I've seen, but I don't think he's ever been better than he is here. I can also say the same of Keira Knightley. This is a role I never thought I'd see her in, but she completely pulls it off and wins you over. These two great actors take a potentially ordinary film and make it better. If you love music, New York City, and the idea that you can always start over, then be sure not to miss this delightful little film.
RATING: A-
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