A struggling record label producer, Dan stumbles upon a beautiful & talented singer/songwriter, Gretta, and this sets in motion a sequence of events that changes their lives from that moment onward. Gretta is deserted by her long-time boyfriend Dave, who is also a musician and songwriting partner, after he lands a deal with a major record label. The story of their musical journey unfolds, with the troubles in Gretta’s and Mark’s lives providing the backdrop.
Language:
English
Running Time:
104 min
Rating:
A
Release date:
18 July 2014
Directed by:
John Carney
Produced by:
Anthony Bregman
Tobin Armbrust
Judd Apatow
Written by:
John Carney
Based on:
–
Starring:
Keira Knightley
Mark Ruffalo
Hailee Steinfeld
Adam Levine
James Corden
CeeLo Green
Catherine Keener
Music by:
Gregg Alexander
Shot by:
Yaron Orbach
Edited by:
Andrew Marcus
Distributed by:
The Weinstein Company

What’s Hot

  • Firstly, and most importantly the music which in essence defines the entire movie. It lends a sweetness to the screenplay, supports the plot and is used to move the story forward in a subtle way.
  • The screenplay is predictable, and at times tongue-in-cheek, but stands out in its novel portrayal of the friendship between a man and woman who both believe in the power of music. That said, the screenplay has a whiff of freshness in portraying the chemistry between the lead pair and delightful creativity in using New York City to enhance the movie’s charm.
  • John Carney dons the mantle exceedingly well, and excels in creating a romantic musical, that doesn’t sentimentalize love. The film is filled with sweet moments, ranging from the headset sharing walk of Dan & Gretta, to Gretta’s bike ride in the final scenes. The writing shines all along the movie, be it the splitter cable hung in Dan’s car, or the picturization inside Dan’s head of “A step you can’t take back” or the outdoor recording of an entire album.
  • All the lead actors, namely Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo and Adam Levine have provided a decent performance. Although not entirely convincing, they deliver enough to convey the director’s intent of making the characters likeable and relatable to the audience. And, by the way, who would have guessed Keira Knightley had such a sweet voice.

What’s Not

  • The predictable story-line can definitely bore the audience, and the script is not free from clichés. It is expected that the audience would find the movie to be just another “variation” of romantic drama, a genre arguably often repeated. Also, for a movie that is centered on music and its impact on individual life, the portrayal of underlying stories that inspire the songs in the movie seem a tad unconvincing.

Badges

Verdict

Verdict Stamp

A neatly packaged romantic musical, portraying what happens when two distressed souls come together and create music. Fresh, joyful and intelligent; “Begin Again” will definitely entertain.