The Films of John Carney

On the Edge

Once

The Rafters

Begin Again (July 8/14)

Written and directed by John Carney, Begin Again details the friendship that ensues between a struggling singer/songwriter (Keira Knightley's Greta) and a down-on-his-luck music executive (Mark Ruffalo's Dan) - with the film following the two characters as they set out to record an album on the streets of New York City. It's a rather familiar premise that is, for the most part, employed to breezy and consistently watchable effect by Carney, as the filmmaker does a nice job of initially luring the viewer into the affable, well-paced proceedings - with the movie's easygoing atmosphere heightened by its charismatic performances and raft of toe-tapping, finger-snapping musical numbers. The amiable feel certainly goes a long way towards compensating for Carney's questionable decision to employ a time-shifting narrative, as the device adds little to the film's overall impact and, for the most part, stands as a decidedly unfortunate distraction. As a result, Begin Again improves considerably as it marches into its confident and briskly-paced second half - with Carney placing an agreeable emphasis on Greta and Dan's efforts at recording that aforementioned album. The end result is a feel-good indie that may not offer any great shakes in terms of plot or characters, and yet it's ultimately difficult not to be lured into the movie's pervasively pleasant vibe.