Begin Again releases today on Blu-Ray and DVD.
John Carney’s previous effort Once should perhaps be renamed Twice after the release of Begin Again. The tale of underdogs striving to succeed in the music world recaptured, switched from gritty streets of Dublin to the brighter surrounds of New York City and a cast of relative unknowns by a group of familiar faces.
THE MOVIEBegin Again tells of Dan (Mark Ruffalo) and Gretta (Keira Knightley), a music producer and singer/songwriter respectively, both down on their luck personally and professionally. Flashbacks fill in a short amount of time leading to their meeting in a bar where Dan overhears Gretta perform. He sees an opportunity to get his career back on track with a talent he believes in and soon convinces her to give him a shot. Together they conceive of a novel concept, recording her debut album at locations around New York, taking in all the ambient noise each setting brings with it. The project brings them closer and begins to have influences over other aspects of their lives.
If there is one word I would use to describe Begin Again it would be “sweet”. Not in an overly cloy or saccharine way but in a genuinely likeable way. It is a pleasant rumination on the ideas of how music and the arts can be a support and outlet for people, something that can unite and offer a way to heal. Each of the protagonists are damaged in their own way and become driven by it. Upon meeting they pour themselves into this project together and become close. Some may find the “love arc” a little frustrating, a lot of restraint is shown throughout, but there is a genuine bond between the two and some may prefer a more platonic outcome. The idea of recording the album around New York too is a clever device, turning the film into somewhat of a love song to the city.
Reminiscent of Once, the film is also akin to a lightweight take on Inside Llewyn Davis, with Ruffalo embodying the acerbic but likeable central character and Knightly the musical talent, together going on a journey and surrounded by a well assembled cast. While lacking the emotional punch and beautiful melancholy of that film it is reminiscent of it in a way. A portion of the film does look at anti-establishment themes and the idea of selling out, notably the effect of success upon musicians and the overly polished nature of music these days. The irony of that looms large as much could be said of Begin Again being an overly polished rehash of Once. I would not debate against that and it is perhaps a shame some punches are pulled to make it enjoyable rather than something truly emotional.
While the film may feel somewhat lightweight in regards to story and emotional reach, the cast assembled imbue the film with a winning charm. Ruffalo is likeable no matter how drunk he gets or how many bar tabs he walks out on. Even his parental failings are given a sympathetic light. Knightley, whose performances I have always enjoyed, is good and surprisingly delivers with a admirable vocal contribution, although her actual character is a tad underwritten. Together the form a genuine and sweet partnership at the core of the film. Catherine Keener great as usual in a downtrodden role but I would love to see her tackle something meatier or comedic again whilst Hailee Steinfeld does well in a rather small role. Adam Levine pretty much nails the Gretta’s ex and effortlessly makes the transition from likeable guy to raging douche while Rob Corden does well as the comedy fall guy, not laying it on too thick. In all, the cast take something lightweight and imbue it with a lot of heart.
THE PACKAGE
Begin Again shows a quality transfer on Blu-ray. No artifacts and the detail is crisp with vibrant colors. New York is shown off in all its splendor, if overall the film does have a slightly higher than normal level of gloss. Audio is solid too, important with such a music heavy feature such as this.
Special features include a nice Making Of that has interviews with cast and crew. Interviewees talk about what drew them to the project, experiences on set and working with each other and generally confirm the chemistry and charm you see on screen stems from the interactions behind it. It does start to touch on more information regarding the initial aims of the project including its original title “Can a Song Change a Life?” but fails to go into more detail. There is also a set of music videos which are subtitles so you can sing along at home…I guess, if that’s your kind of thing.
THE BOTTOM LINEBegin Again is a interesting progression for Carney, a refinement of his previous film rather than something entirely new. It lacks true drama and weight but as a piece of entertainment is very charming indeed. A great cast play off each other well to elevate the lighter material into something pleasantly diverting. Not a memorable film but an enjoyable one for sure.
