Choo Mei FangReview: Begin Again
Back in 2006, Irish writer-director John Carney captured the hearts of audiences with Once, the film that chronicles the romance between a Dublin busker and a Czech immigrant.
Begin Again originally premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival as Can A Song Save Your Life, and secured the biggest deal of the festival. At first glance, it feels like an upsized version of the 2006 indie hit with recurring themes, bigger stars and fancier locations, trading the grimmer streets of Dublin for the bright lights of New York.
Kiera Knightley plays Greta, the British singer-songwriter jilted by her boyfriend Dave Kohl, played by Maroon 5’s frontman Adam Levine. James Corden is the supportive and affable friend Steve, who pulls Greta out of her pity party and brings her to an open-mike event in a bar to perform an original.
Enter Mark Ruffalo as Dan Mulligan, a struggling record label executive hanging on by a thread to his former glory. He chances upon Greta’s performance during one of his drunken stupors, and is convinced that she has all the elements needed to make a star and give his dying career a new lease of life.
Dan manages to talk Greta into collaborating on a zero-budget album filmed entirely against the backdrop of New York, to capture both the authenticity of the city that never sleeps and her beautifully-penned songs. In the process, they bond over mutual heartbreaks and heal their past hurts.
However, the entire production process of Greta’s album seems contrived and a tad idealistic. In a scene, children playing in an alleyway conveniently end up providing pitch-perfect background vocals to a tune.
In addition, the scenes are also shot on actual locations that resonate with New Yorkers such as rooftops and subways, but it’s a pity that the sets look too neat and organized, coming across as artificial.
Once won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2008 and was adapted as a Broadway musical in 2012. However, Begin Again is unlikely to repeat this feat given its less impressionable tunes. The soundtrack is made up of mostly sentimental ballads sung by – surprise, surprise – Knightley herself, and although easy on the ears, it fails to leave an impact.
A song that stood out was “Lost Stars”, a track with different renditions by Knightley and Levine. This was made memorable by the emotional significance each character attaches to the song, as it was a Christmas gift from Greta to Dan when they were still together.
Despite falling short on the musical aspect, the casting is brilliant in the film and draws you in with a warm and intimate chemistry between the actors.
Knightley portrays a sweet fragility to her character that shines positively in the film, complementing Ruffalo’s scruffy yet disarming demeanor as a man trying to get back on his feet. Their characters have a sincere relationship that exudes an easy affability, making it a joy to watch them interact on screen, especially in a night scene walking around New York while listening to music on their iPods.
The lackluster tunes won’t leave you humming out of the theatre, but the charming cast makes up for it. Despite the disappointment for fans of Once, the soul-stirring film will leave others tingly and fuzzy on the inside.
Rating: 3.5/5
Release Date: 3 July 2014
Runtime: 105 minutes
Language: English
Censorship Rating: NC16
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Director: John Carney
Main Actors: Kiera Knightly, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine, Hailee Stenfeild, James Corden