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    Movie Review: Begin Again

    Synopsis

    In order to have a good time and get a glance of the charming and witty performances by Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley, head to the cinemas.

    Genre: Drama
    Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, Adam Levine
    Director: John Carney
    Language: English
    Rating: ***1/2

    By Sandipan Dalal

    Originally going to be titled Can a Song Save Your Life, director John Carney's new film about two lonely souls brought together by their common passion for music hits the right chords.

    What's most likeable about the film? Its original treatment (thanks to Carney who gave us the delightful film Once in 2006), charming and witty performances (by Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley) and authentic songs (written by New Radicals front man Gregg Alexander).

    It all begins when Greta (Knightley), a British songwriter who is betrayed by her rising rocker boyfriend Dave Kohl (Levine), reluctantly performs at an open mic night at a struggling musician friend's insistence. She gets spotted by a drunken, shabby, separated-from-his-wife-and-daughter record label owner Dan Mulligan (Ruffalo) who's been dumped by his business partner that very morning.

    With absolutely no funds in their pockets, they set out to create a music album by recording songs at real locations in New York. It's fun to watch Greta and her bandmates get rolling amidst the cacophony of this great city even as they're chased around by cops.

    Along the way, you see sparks flying between Greta and Dan, which is believable. Now, you have to watch the film to find out more. It's a joy to watch and hear Knightley; she makes a smashing musical debut by all standards.

    Ruffalo, who appears to be in desperate need of a shower in the first part of the film, delivers an excellent performance yet again. The real hero is writer-director Carney. He also makes sure that the music, which is so central to the plot, stays as real as possible. The only downside, however, is that the complicated lives of Greta and Dan get resolved rather too quickly.

    Bottom line: Head to the cinemas and have a good time.

    Poor * Average ** Good *** Very Good **** Excellent *****
    ( Originally published on Jul 18, 2014 )

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