Once

Once, written and directed by John Carney, is a cinéma-vérité style film that follows two people in Dublin who meet on the street and discover they have a mutual passion for music. There are about a dozen songs in the film that are performed in their entirety so one could call Once a modern day musical. How it differs, however, is that it doesn't have any of the bells and whistles you find with modern Hollywood musicals. Firstly, the two leads, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, are non-actors in real life who were long time friends and musicians that wanted to help bring John Carney's script to life. Secondly, the film only cost about $150,000 which, as Richard Roeper so brilliantly put, wouldn't cover the catering bill on Dreamgirls. It's a breath of fresh air in every sense and if you're looking for a film that really inspires, Once is definitely one of those rare cinema experiences that will resonate with you for days.

Glen Hansard penned all of the songs in Once but when asked to play the role of Guy he originally turned it down. He wanted Cillian Murphy to play the lead because Murphy had the star power to bring attention to the film and because Hansard had little to no acting experience. Murphy would eventually pass on the project so Hansard agreed to be in the film. In an interview Hansard said, "Though I was initially thinking of using a good actor who could half sing, I quickly realized I should do it the other way around and get a good singer who could half act." And thank God for that. Hansard has one of the most chilling voices I've heard in a long time and when you combine it with the sweet, aching vocals of Markéta Irglová (who also plays piano in the film) you get one amazing collaboration. I also find non-actors to be much more interesting than real actors a lot of the time. If they don't try to act and simply let their natural personalities breathe on screen, the result is really compelling.

Like I mentioned earlier, Once is shot like a documentary. The camera is hand-held and much of the film takes place in some very intimate settings. As these two people learn about each other and fall in love with one another's raw talent and vulnerability, you feel as though you're a fly on the wall of something real unfolding before you. It's the kind of experience I don't think I've ever had watching a film. As luck would have it, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová did bond on the set and began dating after the film wrapped. It makes what you see all the more beautiful simply because you feel like you're a part of something special being brought into fruition.