Begin Again

This movie helped me get through a phase in a life and definitely helped me .love it yes it has its flows but whatever

I knew virtually nothing about this film - hadn't even seen the trailer - when I drug my wife to see it last night, and we were both very pleasantly surprised. The characters are drawn in such a way that they are both like-able and relatable. In the end, the film builds emotion with the audience not by means of incredible stretches of the imagination, but through a gradually reinforced empathy. I have seen all the summer blockbusters, and the single largest failure in most of them is that they create shallow characters that the audience does not care about.

The dynamics used in this movie cause an engagement in the audience that is necessary in ANY film for it to be great. This one is not to be missed in the CGI-filled summer.

3 1/2 out of 4 stars.

John Carney is back with a new musical. His 2006 film "Once" is one of my favorite films of all time and I was interested to see where Carney would go next. Watching the trailers for "Begin Again" didn't give me much hope for it, but just enough for me to go out and see it. I enjoyed it much more than I expected though.

"Begin Again" is very similar to "Once," except Carney has a bigger budget and famous movie stars. It deals with Dan and Greta (Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley, respectively) who after being cheated on by their former boyfriend/girlfriend meet up and record some songs together. Ruffalo is great as the down on his luck, charming, but often drunk, music producer Dan. Knightley also has a solid performance. Adam Levine does a good job of being a jerk and James Corden is hilarious as Greta's busking friend Steve. The films has themes of love, fatherhood, and the way we use music in our lives.

"Begin Again" is for all the music lovers out there who enjoy creating music. The movie is filled with characters whose religion is music. Look at Dan's car and how he has a music cable hung up on the mirror next to a cross. There's a great moment when Dan listens to Greta perform for the first time. What is just a voice and guitar slowly grows into something much bigger and beautiful. The soundtrack is more poppy compared to the folk songs in "Once," but they are nice to listen to.

This film is the movie you kind of have to be in the mood for to really enjoy. It can be predictable and sappy at times, but it does it well. If you accept it for what it is, you'll enjoy it. "Begin Again" is a musical treat this summer that will leave you wanting to listen to more music and maybe even creating some of your own.

This is a feel good movie about musicians making an album. Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley play producer and song writer who team up to make a demo filmed all over the city. The songs are pleasant and the characters are sympathetic and likable even Hailee Steinfeld as Mark's daughter. There is a nice dynamic between the characters which makes the movie enjoyable to watch. There is almost as much music as a musical but it doesn't feel much like a musical.

Who knew Keira could sing so well? She doesn't have the most powerful voice but her singing is musical and right for the type of songs. Mark looks suitably scruffy for the fallen on hard times composer. Nice cameo by Ceelo Green and Adam Levine who sings quite a few songs.

Movies like this are pleasant and uplifting to watch - if you want a break from action or violence of summer blockbusters.

I was a big fan of ONCE - I did not see BEGIN AGAIN when it first came out and only recently watched it and I loved it. One must be in the right mood for this winning, open hearted film - it can be easily passed over as sappy or sentimental but I thought the story of two damaged people meeting each other at just the right time - to be there to help one another - is very well done and Knightley and Ruffalo are wonderful together. But what really makes the whole package work is the fantastic songs - many people were involved with the writing of the music - including Carney the writer-director but the main person behind the songs is Gregg Alexander - a very underrated, very talented musician who was the band The New Radicals in the 90's. He has a way of writing catchy melodies and Lost Stars is a marvelous song - I think my fav scene though is when they are on the rooftop and crank out that song w/ Ruffalo jamming with his daughter. Brought a smile and a tear. I'm a sucker for Carney's films because I also loved SING STREET!