I’m sitting here, drinking my organic black tea, blasting yet another great song off of the magnificent Once soundtrack through my computer speakers, thinking, why didn’t I love this movie more? Don’t get me wrong… it’s a decent film. I just expected something special. In that respect, the movie didn’t deliver for me.

I started hearing great things about Once all the way back in January, when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Audience Award for World Cinema. Since the winner of that very same award two years, a terrific film named Brothers, made my top ten list of 2005, I became instantly excited for this film. When I found out it was a musical, I knew that I was going to love it. I love love love musicals, and with the lack of them lately (despite a resurgence a few years ago with Moulin Rouge and Chicago), it’s exhilarating to be awaiting a new one. It’s been out in LA for most of the summer, and there have been a few close calls in going to see it, but these excursions never panned out. Finally, after two months, the movie opened at the local independent cinema in Encino, and I finally had no more excuses. I paid for my ticket, sat down in the theatre, and I became ready for what would surely be a memorable experience. A worthwhile experience? Sure. A memorable one? Not so much.

The film is a love story about two people who meet on the streets in Dublin, where a man plays his guitar for passers-by. A female flower seller befriends him and has him fix her vacuum when he claims he has more skills than just guitar playing. She tells him she is a musician as well, and they go to a piano at the back of a store. He’s looking to record a professional demo, and he asks her to help him with it. Their friendship turns more flirtatious as they go along with their music, constantly playing it back and forth to each other.

First, things I liked about the film. It’s for sure the most unusual musical I’ve ever seen. The music is, for the most part, sensational. Really, really great stuff. I bought the soundtrack when I got home. The main song “Falling Slowly” is one of the best songs I’ve heard in a long time. The look and feel is that of a true indie film without a big budget. It was also kind of interesting to see a musical where the characters sing with musical instruments, as opposed to just breaking into song a la Hairspray. The movie doesn’t feel as silly as other musicals because the music is really being performed as opposed to just sung. Even when the girl goes for a walk with her music player and sings down sidewalks, there is a basis for why she is singing. There’s no random bursts of crooning here. And that’s kind of interesting.

But I have to be honest. The camera-work and look constantly took me out of the film. I really think I would’ve liked this more if the film had been shot on 35mm and the camera was on tripods, not shaking in every single shot. Even when the director goes for crane shots, they are a little unsteady and wobbly. 99% of the time, I never really notice the look and camera-work in a movie because I’m involved with the story. Usually the director will pick a look for his film that fits the story. The Blair Witch Project and 28 Days Later have really ugly looks, but they fit the tone of the movie. The music in Once is beautiful and mesmerizing; it deserved a more polished film look.

I also really wanted more out of the relationship between the two leads. After awhile I started to feel like the movie was more interesting in the songs than the relationship. While I enjoyed all of the songs of the movie, I wasn’t emotionally invested enough with the two characters and their relationship to care about the place they’re left in with the movie ends. When the film cut to black and credits rolled, I felt nothing. I was impressed with the songs and some aspects to the movie, I was never truly moved at any point near the end. I was more invested in the main characters in the flashy Hairspray than I was with the two leads in this.

There’s just about two sips left in my organic black tea, which is starting to get a little too cold for my liking, and I’m replaying the song “If You Want Me” my other favorite song on the Once soundtrack. It’s atmospheric and chilling, and not in a horror movie kind of way. The female’s vocals are fantastic and give the song a really pretty quality. I’m listening to this song again and wishing I had liked the movie more. Every year there are a handful of movies released that are beloved by the general public and that go straight through me. Once is just such a film.

2 1/2 stars (out of 4)