Once

“I love you." Everything you have heard and read about Once is true. Both the negative and the positive things. The second-rate technical wrapping proved to be one of the movie’s greatest assets. Because it makes it easier to penetrate the melancholic atmosphere without having to waste time scraping off the gold paint. Not even the rather stiff Irglová, or occasional tired moments do anything to impair the authenticity of this movie. In fact AUTHENTIC is the word that best characterizes this little-big movie. Once requires the “input" from the viewer in terms of a certain benevolence, then rewarding this benevolence with the “output", mainly in terms of music than cinema... (26/10/2007)

Hansard is not a brave hero in shiny armor, Markéta is not a princess, and Ireland is not a fairy tale world. But still, Once is such a magical story that I couldn't breathe at times. Magical, distant, and yet so naturally personal. The adventures with Her family or the search for people to record His album may lose pace, but I don't care about that now. Because I "love you" and sing Falling Slowly. The soundtrack brings me close to tears even on the hundredth listen. That film is immortal, it just doesn't know it even a decade after its creation. (11/12/2007)

When non-actors are playing, it is often visible how unrealistically they behave in front of the camera. In the case of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, this did not happen. They are quite natural. In contrast, you can see how some couldn't handle the directed camera, and the naturalness disappeared. But in this case, it also involves the amateurism in front of the camera, which contributes a lot to the overall impression. In this story, even though it follows a script, it is beautiful that the story could have been written by the story itself and you can easily believe it. And the music... (12/03/2014)

Once is a sweet and simple story about a talented pair of artists brought together by their love of music. The film and its characters come across as likeable and simple, but that's not a bad thing at all. And the song "Falling Slowly" definitely deserved the Oscar. In short, a film that's perfect for enjoying a leisurely moment. (02/02/2012)

I first watched Once in 2012 or so and turned it off after half an hour because I wasn't enjoying it. Today, almost five years later, I decided to give it a second chance, what the hell was wrong with me then that I didn't finish it? Rarely do I come across a film that is so endearing that it puts a smile on my face the whole time I'm watching it. I was already partially familiar with the soundtrack and I have to say that every song is a gem. The melodies are warm, they are a treat for the soul, with lyrics written by life itself. It's exactly the kind of music I like, so I can't wait to put it on for work tomorrow. Once confirms that there’s beauty in simplicity. (26/09/2016)