Charming Irish film about a musician (Glen Hansard) who seems to be a stuck in a rut, still writing songs about his ex-girlfriend who's moved to London. A chance encounter with a Czech immigrant flower seller (Markéta Irglová) gives him the boost he needs to put a record together, leave his humdrum life in Dublin and travel to London to win his girlfriend back.
This is a testament to how even the simplest of stories can work wonders if told well. Hansard and Irglová, both unprofessional actors, convey their loneliness and sadness convincingly that from the moment the two sing a duet together over a shop piano we want them to be together. The songs themself are the real story as the script itself is relatively bare. They're great songs as well. Emotive, longing, even humorous at times. What really impresses though is the refusal to sentiment and the movie's realistic (but never overtly bleak) setting. The most genuinely heartwarming romantic film I've seen since Before Sunset.
This is a testament to how even the simplest of stories can work wonders if told well. Hansard and Irglová, both unprofessional actors, convey their loneliness and sadness convincingly that from the moment the two sing a duet together over a shop piano we want them to be together. The songs themself are the real story as the script itself is relatively bare. They're great songs as well. Emotive, longing, even humorous at times. What really impresses though is the refusal to sentiment and the movie's realistic (but never overtly bleak) setting. The most genuinely heartwarming romantic film I've seen since Before Sunset.
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