This film has been generating a lot of buzz for a few reasons: 1.) it is one of the few modern day pieces that Kiera Knightley is in, 2.) it is a musical, 3.) it is directed by someone who won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and 4.) it is Adam Levine’s film debut.

That said, expectations were a little higher than usual.

Here’s my round-up of John Carney (Once)’ entry to the Toronto International Film Festival, Begin Again.

Please note that there may be spoilers.  Read at your own risk.

THE STORY:

Dan (Mark Ruffalo – Now You See Me) is a music producer who hasn’t landed a bankable talent in years.  Predictably, he gets fired and he drowns his sorrows – his career that just careened to a grounding hault, his estranged relationship with still-wife-but-just-barely Miriam (Catherine Keener – Captain Philips), his struggling relationship with teenaged daughter Violet (Hailee Steinfeld – Romeo & Juliet), among other things – in alcohol when he chances upon Greta (Kiera Knightly – Pride & Prejudice) reluctantly performing on open mic night.  He somehow convinces her to record a whole album guerilla style all over the city of New York and discovers that she’s going through quite a few things as well: nursing a broken heart from when her long time boyfriend and song writing partner Dylan (Adam Levine) cheated on her when he reached stardom and struggling to fit herself in friend Steve (James Corden – One Chance)’s tiny cramped apartment.  On top of this Greta is battling with herself trying to decide if this record they’re working on is even worth it, because of her experience with how fame can change people.

THE GOOD:

1. The soundtrack.  I’m listening to it right now and I must say, it is one of the more cohesive movie soundtracks I’ve heard in a long time.  I love the songs and they seem to be sharing a universal theme.  I read Jessica Zafra’s review of the film and she felt that the songs were a little bit on the weak side.  Possibly for the first time ever, I respectfully disagree.  I dont’t think the songs are the issue.
2. Adam Levine really shined here.  Granted, the film didn’t require from him much acting chops but because most of his “emotional” scenes were during song performances, they were quite affecting.  Also, wow, those pipes!  I always thought of him as a pop star with just a freakishly high range but I appreciated him in a whole new light when he sang Lost Stars in the finale.
3. James Corden brought the much needed levity into the mix, for which I am extremely grateful.  Mostly because he’s Craig Owens from Doctor Who and I love him but I wish he could’ve had a bigger role.  The easy chemistry he had with Kiera Knightly was very palatable and made for very easy watching.
4. The city.  There has been a staggering amount of romantic comedies that have been filmed in the city of Manhattan in the past decade but I think this is the first one I’ve seen since You’ve Got Mail to give the city the attention it so deserves.  There was a sequence in the film when they were walking all around while listening to their favorite songs and while most of the shots did include the stray trash bin here and there, it was still beautiful and I think captured the city’s true spirit.

THE BAD:

1. Kiera Knightley’s voice didn’t quite fit the songs.  It’s one of those things that should’ve worked but didn’t.  If you listen to the soundtrack, she legitimately sounds like an indie singer and when you watch her onscreen singing to the songs, you can see in her face the emotions the songs are trying to covey.  Jessica Zafra thought that the music was weak but I think it’s just a matter of Kiera Knightly not having enough anger to line her vocal performances with.  The songs just came out too mellow when they should’ve been blazingly angry.
2. Mark Ruffalo.  I don’t know how but they managed to fit him with a bad role.  I think the writing is to be blamed here because unlike the Kiera Knightly subplot, his wasn’t presented properly.  It’s a sad thing because obviously he’s a capable actor and he was reduced to explaining the feelings that his character is going through.
3. The beard.  Ever wondered what Adam Levine would look like with a beard?  Apparently it doesn’t look good on him.

THE UGLY:

1. The quasi-romantic angle.  God.  I literally had my eyes covered during the scenes they were making eyes at each other for fear of them suddenly kissing.
2. It was all too contrived.  Unfortunately this is the prime example of a beautiful film (Once) that gets Hollywood-ified.  It’s quite clear that they were trying to re-create the same magic but set in America and casted with more famous actors.  Somebody should’ve told them to save their efforts because films like the one they were trying to emulate only comes every few decades.  It is extremely hard not to compare it to Once, with the theme and the director and everything, but that film’s beauty came from the rawness that made it somewhat difficult to sit through because it was sometimes too real (I had to hit pause thrice before finishing the whole thing).  That sort of tension can only arise organically and since they tried to artificially recreate it in Begin Again with the drama with the family, the drama with the boyfriend, etc, the film sort of fell flat.

All in all Begin Again is an okay movie.  Doesn’t compare a lick to its predecesor but palatable enough, if a little generic and a whole lot contrived.  The film makers’ biggest mistake, I think, is that they tried to fit a formula into a story that was compelling enough to begin with.  If, however, you are a big Adam Levine fan, then this is definitely a must see.

THE VERDICT: 7.2/10

*All photos are lifted from the film’s IMDB page.