Begin Again, Just The Same

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“Begin Again,” a film featuring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, and Adam Levine, was released over the summer, but I never got the chance to see it. However, on Saturday night I spent time with my friend Elizabeth, and we hunkered down and watched it. As a fan of the movie (and now Broadway musical) “Once,” I got sucked into this film right away, and there was no denying why. John Carney wrote and directed both films, borrowing a little from his own life. As a sucker for romance stories (usually ones with happy endings), both “Once” and “Begin Again” revolve around bitttersweet love stories peppered with songs as an added bonus.

It’s much too late, and I’m much too tired to do a full review of the film, but if you know me and you like my taste in movies and books, give it a try. Both Elizabeth and I liked it very much. I’ve downloaded the music from iTunes, and have enjoyed listening to it. In fact, for your musical entertainment, I’m going to show you a clip. In this scene, Keira Knightley has composed a heartfelt song and sings it into her boyfriend’s phone after they have broken up and Adam Levine has broken her heart. He is on the road, a rising artist. She is back in New York composing this song with a friend.

And although this film doesn’t have a happy fairy tale “romantic” ending, we know she (Keira) is going to be fine, so we are left in a good mood. Likewise, Mark Ruffalo is fantastic as the washed up agent who just needs to find that next talent, and he brings a lot of humor to this musical comedy. I think we can all relate to the feelings of heartbreak, whether it’s a heartbreak from years ago or one more recent. Keira’s performance is raw and believable and reminds us of how that moment feels.