I was skeptical about Once, after reading a very poorly written synopsis. I was even more skeptical after the first few minutes of the film proved to be shot in first person with a shaky camcorder, with awkward dialogue and Irish accents thicker than the wool sweaters the Irish love so much. However, I stuck with the film, and after about ten minutes found my ear adjusted to the dialogue, and fell in love with the voyeur-first-person-perspective on the quirky relationship between a vacuum-cleaner-repairman-street-musician and a czech-born-mother-pianist-flower-salesgirl.
Hansard, plays an anonymous vacuum-repairman whom we meet playing his original songs on the street for change. His song seems of little siginifance initially, but as the story progresses, the viewer will find his songs (actually, all of the songs), sort of present a subtext to the film, revealing the character's true thoughts and feelings that they are unable to express.
Musical haters need not fear--there are no show tunes, no choreographed dance sequences involving spinning parasols and impromptu chorus lines, and plenty of dialogue in between tunes. The music simply serves to fill in the gaps and the thoughts that the characters of Hansard and Marketa Irglova (Czech ex-pat flowergirl). The relationship and the inability to express their emotions will leave the viewer frustrated, but absolutely captivated. My viewing partner found herself screaming at the television "KISS ALREADY!" not even halfway through the film.
I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that Once is a beautiful story about a plausible human male/female relationship, and not like most seen on the silver screen.
*spoilers below*
Ultimately, Irglova forgoes what she wants and pushes Hansard's character to follow his dreams--something I don't think he would have ever done without her pushing him and giving him the confidence he needed. I believe Irglova realized she couldn't quite live her dream, and she saw a chance to live it through Hansard, and she had a chance to help him succeed before it was too late--as she seemed to feel it was in her case. It is a story of a short, necessary relationship at a necessary time. Who can't relate to that?
Anyone who enjoyed "Once" should also check out 1991's The Commitments. Another Irish film starring real Irish musicians who pursue their dreams.