Begin Again
Begin Again
R | 11 July 2014 (USA)
Begin Again Trailers

Gretta, a budding songwriter, finds herself alone after her boyfriend Dave ditches her. Her life gains purpose when Dan, a record label executive, notices her talent.

Reviews
Diagonaldi Very well executed
PlatinumRead Just so...so bad
Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
onurdazz-50880 Do not miss this great movie! I am strongly recommending it.
MichaelMRamey Dan: That's some song you got there. I promise you it could be a big hit. Plus you're beautiful.Gretta: I'm sorry, what's beauty got to do with anything?This is the first exchange between Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley's characters in this story about flawed lives intertwining with a backdrop of music. This film centers around Gretta (Knightley) a young singer-songwriter who is new to Manhattan and Dan (Ruffalo) a music-business executive who both meet each other at pivotal moments in their life. Gretta who recently broke up with her rising star boyfriend Dave Kohl (Adam Levine) and Dan who had recently split from his partner lean on each other. With a little bit of help from her friend Steve (James Corden), who steals certain scenes with his witty humour. (Side note: James Corden will be making his mark on Late Night by replacing Craig Ferguson on The Late Late Show soon).Begin Again questions the music industry as a whole, while showing you someone who is a sellout and one who is in it for the love of music. There came a point when it was no longer about the art form, but about the money that could be made. The industry will check you up and spit you back out again given the chance at an extra buck. Dan and Gretta butt heads on this topic many times throughout the film. Dan wants to make Gretta into a hit maker while she just does it for her own pleasure. This film will make you fall in love with music all over again. The film may be about life and relationships, but this feels like a love letter to music from writer/director John Carney. Songs written specifically for the film show the depth of music and is used as a way to communicate and express one self. Knightley's soothing voice backed by a great melody will make you want to hear it over and over again.If this film doesn't get a nomination for original song it should receive acting nods for Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo's performance as a alcoholic finding his way to become a good Father is mesmerizing, while Knightley's performance is one of her best. Two actors who you would never think would go together, have an onscreen chemistry casting agents only dream of.
The-Animals I can sum up the movie in two words: nothing special. First of all, Keira Knightley is annoyingly out-of-place as a supposedly "girl-next- door" character. In spite of this, I thought her chemistry with Mark Ruffalo was fantastic and the scene in which they walk the streets of New York at night was intimate without a hint of romance which is rare. But the movie was marred with clichés - the tough kids on the street demanding cigarettes in order to shut up for five minutes of recording music were seen joining in background vocals; a supposedly "terrible" guitar-playing girl turns out to be terrific at the end of the forcibly "feel-good" movie; for no good reason at the end Ruffalo is seen fleetingly returning to his wife who cheated on him while he suffered a nervous breakdown - which was an interesting yet unexplored subplot. Knightley has a beautiful voice but the guitar playing is meagre; the songs are fairly good but ultimately forgettable. Adam Levine was a bit of a love-rat bore. The celebrity cameos from Cee Lo Green and James Corden were as annoying as they were futile. I wouldn't particularly recommend this movie but I wouldn't say I hated it. It was just average.
vlad n. leu A lovely, warming tribute to all those (hundreds of thousands?... millions ?...) of artists, musicians & composers, blessed with that wonderful God-given true gift of deep understanding and sensing of music... and who, however, don't quite 'make it' in this business... Firstly, the music score is awesome, you just have to listen and you're hooked forever... The growing chemistry between Ruffalo & Knightley characters is sweet and helps the plot to overcome some inevitable, typical clichés. I'm not at all a fan of movies about musicians and bands, but this one is absolutely nonesuch thing. It simply is a movie about friendship, trust and what human inter-relationship should be about. Setting is also excellent. Dear Scarlet J, sorry but... opportunity missed...