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| Courtesy of The Weinstein Company |
The
amount of pressure on writer-director John Carney while making Begin Again, the
new comedic drama starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, must have been enormous.
But I’m guessing other filmmakers don’t have a lot of pity for him. That’s what
happens when you make a perfect movie on your first try.
Carney’s
debut Once is so beautiful, so moving and so improbably successful (it won an
Oscar and became a smash Broadway musical) that a follow-up seemed destined to disappoint.
No, Begin Again isn’t as good. But the film is far from a let-down, boasting strong
performances, an unapologetic earnest streak and several terrific songs. Aside
from an ending that rubbed me the wrong way, I loved it.
The
film opens with a clearly despondent Gretta (Knightley), slumped on a couch in
a New York City dive bar while her musician friend (James Corden) performs. In
an attempt to cheer her up, he drags her on stage, where she speeds through a
beautifully sad song that almost nobody pays attention to. But one guy,
standing in the middle of the small crowd, is clearly moved.
That’s
Dan (Ruffalo), a former record label exec who is in the midst of an existential
crisis. He’s a (barely) functioning alcoholic, recently fired, and estranged
from his wife (Catherine Keener) and daughter (Hailee Steinfeld). Something in
Gretta’s music has impacted him in a way he didn’t think was possible anymore.
Over
the next 30 minutes or so, the film rewinds to show viewers how each character
got to this bar at this moment, both at the lowest point in their lives. For
Dan, it’s family issues and behavior so unprofessional that his business
partner (Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def) can no longer ignore it.
In
Gretta’s case, it’s heartbreak. She’s in New York because her songwriting
partnership with longtime boyfriend Dave (Adam Levine) has finally paid off.
Sort of. Their hard work landed him a record deal with a major label, which
leads to traveling obligations that provide an opportunity for Dave to cheat on
Gretta – which he does almost immediately.
Now
she’s emotionally devastated in a strange city, with every intention of flying
back to London the next day. But then Dan hears her play and knows he’s found a
star with the potential to transform both of their lives. He eventually
convinces her to collaborate with him on an unusual yet charming project, which
begins to lift their spirits and turn them into better people.
Carney’s
narrative, as well as its unrepentant sentimentality, makes much more sense if
you’re familiar with the film’s original – and, in my opinion, superior – title, Can a Song Save Your Life? Many viewers prefer their movies dark, because
they think that somehow reflects the way the world works. However, Begin Again (here’s hoping for a director’s cut reinstating the better title, a la Cameron
Crowe’s Almost Famous/Untitled) shows that sometimes life, despite its many
painful elements, works out okay.
Carney
does allow for some rough edges with his conclusion, but – ironically – that’s
the only element of the film that rang false for me. Gretta makes a decision concerning
her music’s future that is beautiful in theory, but it seems disrespectful to
her collaborators when you dwell on it for too long.
Overall,
though, the movie is fantastic. The performances and the music are strong,
working together to add emotional weight to the fairly simple narrative. Praising
Ruffalo’s acting is unnecessary at this point in his career, but it’s still
worth emphasizing. He makes the Jekyll and Hyde components of Dan’s personality
equally believable, allowing audiences to see why the character is such a mess,
but also why he was so beloved in the past.
Knightley
is also quite good, focusing on her character’s artistic temperament as the center
of her performance. It’s always about the music for Gretta, even when that
makes situations more uncomfortable than necessary. She doesn’t have time for
niceties. I was also taken aback by Knightley’s lovely singing voice and guitar
ability. She probably won’t sell out Madison Square Garden any time soon, but
her quiet, slightly shaky delivery is perfect for a character who feels more at
ease writing songs than performing them.
Perhaps
the most surprising work in the film comes from Levine, best known as the lead
singer of Maroon 5 and a judge on NBC’s The Voice. As if he wasn’t successful
enough, his performance here proves he’s got a future in film if he ever gets
bored being a pop star. Admittedly, Dave’s life isn’t that much of a stretch
from his real occupation. But Levine’s charm transforms a character who could’ve
easily been an unredeemable jerk into a flawed, apologetic collaborator. That
takes talent.
I
still can’t figure out why Begin Again isn’t getting a wider release, considering
it’s about as mainstream as movies get and perfect for date night. But you can find
it in several metro Atlanta theaters (it was playing in Newnan and Austell last
weekend) and it’s definitely worth the short drive.
Begin
Again is rated R for language.
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