Film Addict's March Film Choice

For this month and next I have decided to choose relatively new additions to my vast film collection that I have bought on a whim recently or because I like the actor and I missed it when the film was released in the cinema if they are recent.  For the Film Addict's March Film Choice, I have chosen Begin Again.

Begin Again is the 2013 musical comedy-drama directed by John Carney, starring Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Caribbean series, Pride & Prejudice) and Mark Ruffalo (Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Kids are Alright) in the lead roles.  Supporting stars include Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, Ender's Game), Adam Levine (leader singer of Maroon 5, American Horror Story), James Corden (Into the Woods, One Chance), Yasiin Bey (The Italian Job, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), CeeLo Green (musician), and Catherine Keener (Captain Phillips, Into the Wild).

Rating: 9

Recommended To: Ruffalo and Knightley fans

Favourite Characters: Steve - fantastic secondary character shone amongst the cast

Favourite Part: Greta: [...] No, I love your songs.  I'm...I'm...I'm being fucking horrendous right now which is exactly why I need to, um, I need to go home.
Steve: It's exactly why you need to come with.  [Slams Greta's laptop closed] Come on, I insist.
Greta: I really...
Steve: [Interrupts] Pick that up and come with me.  You're coming.  I'm not leaving you here.
Greta: Okay.
Steve: Come back, I'll find your fucking head in the oven.  Come on.

Good Points: How Dan and Greta were introduced; the music; the way New York was captured; funny; the closeness of the leads

Bad Points: Musical montages were a bit much after a while

Out of sheer coincidence, Begin Again opens as Dan Mulligan (Ruffalo) walks into a bar for a drink after an awful day of losing his job as a record label executive and arguing with his estranged wife (Keener) and daughter (Steinfeld) where Greta James (Knightley) has been coerced by her best friend, Steve (Corden), into playing a song at an open mic night; Greta is an English singer-songwriter who originally moved to New York with her boyfriend, Dave (Levine), who was signed by a major label but their relationship fell to pieces when he had an affair with one of his producers.  Dan is captivated by Greta's music and even though he lacks the means to sign her, he persuades her to hear him out and they come to an agreement to record an album of Greta's music after a bad meeting with Dan's former partner, Saul (Bey), using New York City as their recording studio and musicians including one of Dan's early discoveries, Troublegum (Green) who is incredibly successful.

The first forty minutes were wonderful from my point of view because it was interesting way to introduce Dan and Greta to the audience and how they meet.  The way the timeline was cut together, flitting between backwards and forwards to show how both of the main characters' days turned out to be bad.  It was a great way to introduce them because it helps the audience understand what is driving both characters when they meet in their worst moments.  On top of introducing the main characters, it introduces their friends and family that play a significant role.

The music was fantastic in Begin Again as it should be in a film about making music for many reasons; a number of the songs are catchy and have been stuck in my head since I've watched it which is a good quality because it shows they've put effort into the music.  The music defines the plot, some heartbreaking, and even silly ones (James Corden playing a kazoo for example), each punctuated by a song because as Ruffalo's character says, it makes a scene more profound and that's what I love about Begin Again; it brings this city to life through the music.

Normally in films set in New York City, or most that I have seen, the location used are primarily tourist destinations because they are instantly recognisable for those not from New York but Begin Again seems to head towards the less crowded, less tourist-ridden parts of New York.  I found this more realistic because these characters live in New York so they would go somewhere that isn't rammed with people so they can enjoy themselves unless it was necessary; granted, it might be less recognisable but it brings an authentic quality to the film.  Using New York City as their recording studio also helps bring the city to life as the sounds make the city what it is; cars honking, kids playing, people yelling, typical city noises that can make you feel like you're in a particular place.  As well as bringing life to the music, it also adds a less overproduced quality to it, something different from manufactured pop songs churning out recently.

Begin Again is a wonderfully funny film as the cast bounce off one another, improvising a number of scenes, making the comedy come through naturally rather than forcing it as the reactions appear genuine instead of rehearsed.  Film that fall into the comedy genre can fall flat if it's heavily scripted because it doesn't allow the actors a lot of control and fortunately Carney has allowed his actors to do as they see fit within the constructs of the scene and if his other film are like this, I intend to watch more of them because it's hard to find good comedy directors.

It is refreshing to see a film where the male and female lead because closer as they become more involved in one another's lives but don't actually become romantically involved; there may be something implied as the two grow closer, sharing music, but nothing comes of it in the end, they just become close friends.  It's probably why Begin Again is now up there in my top film list as not every woman and man who become friends will sleep together and I am fed up with every film like that.  Begin Again is just about making music, capturing the city, and hanging out with friends - something that can be missed in a film because it can seem dull.

While Dan and Greta were equally funny, James Corden's Steve shone for me because he had such a great energy that he brought to the character and the scene because he comes across so happy and full of energy, something that is needed as Greta goes through a rough time.  He may not be the lead but he's my favourite character; he cares about Greta, his close friend, and lets her crash at his apartment when she needs it the most whilst supplying her with booze which leads to music making - what more do you need in life.

While there is so much I love about this film, a couple of parts that grated on my nerves were the musical montages because after the third one, maybe even the second one, I felt like the technique was being overused because it just extended moments of the film unnecessarily.  Some montages could have been shortened or cut altogether to more the main plot along as the montages were just a distraction.  The music used is important to the film but it could have been used in another capacity.

Greta: [...] No, I love your songs.  I'm...I'm...I'm being fucking horrendous right now which is exactly why I need to, um, I need to go home.
Steve: It's exactly why you need to come with.  [Slams Greta's laptop closed] Come on, I insist.
Greta: I really...
Steve: [Interrupts] Pick that up and come with me.  You're coming.  I'm not leaving you here.
Greta: Okay.
Steve: Come back, I'll find your fucking head in the oven.  Come on.

This conversation just made me laugh so much because of Steve's lines; I thought they were fantastic and so funny - something that, if delivered wrong, could have made the entire scene, and maybe Steve's character, suck if it hadn't been someone like James Corden behind it.  This part truly illustrated how close Steve and Greta are, a relationship, which is important to Greta's plotline, as it shows that they are just close friends, having been to university together, and they care about one another, encouraging each other with their music, all without any sexual tension during their interactions; I find this refreshing because it is rare to see a film where men and women are friends without having slept together unless there is a large age difference.  I also loved the way they bounced off one another in this scene because it appears natural, as if it isn't a film, you're just watching two people talk like you're in the room.

While the music montages could have been shorten or out altogether, Begin Again is wonderfully fun film that revolves around making music in a lively city.  The music is catchy and the cast mesh well together, allowing their improvising to work better.  The first forty minutes were a fantastic way to introduce Dan and Greta individually to the audience before they come into one another's lives where they become quite close without anything physical coming out of their relationship.  The idea behind Begin Again may be a naïve way to look at the music industry but it's an interesting idea and all-in-all, this could inspire other artists to do the same which is a great idea, I hope to hear more music like this.

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