The advance publicity for Begin Again seemed to identify this a typical summer rom-com. Thankfully it is much more than that. Keira Knightley plays Greta, a songwriter who has travelled to New York with her professional and personal partner Dave. However, at the first sign of stardom, Dave ditches Greta and she is left adrift in the city. A chance meeting with a music business executive, Dan (Mark Ruffalo) at an open mic night gives Greta the chance to take her career in a new direction.
This is an extremely well written movie by John Carney, who also directs. All of the characters featured are real and recognisable, and plot unfolds in an intriguing and agreeable way. In other hands, a romance would have flourished between Greta and Dan, despite their different backgrounds and the age difference. Carney has the sense to only hint at an attraction, but the love story at the heart of the film is between Dan and his estranged wife, Miriam, played by Catherine Keener.
It is also a relief that the songs that Greta plays, whilst not being outstanding, are good enough for it to be believable that they would feature on a potential hit record. Knightley’s vocalising is surprisingly good, certainly better than that provided by Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine who plays Dave. Those two performances are the weakest in the film which otherwise features stellar contributions. Ruffalo is brilliant as the shabby, struggling Dan, and the reliable Catherine Keener is perfect for the role of Miriam, though she should have had more screen time. However, for the second time in a couple of weeks Hailee Steinfeld steals the scenes she appears in as Dan’s daughter, Violet. In fact, it is when she contributes to a song with her guitar playing that the music really comes alive.
There are a couple of flaws with the film. The use of a cyclical story-line in the first half of the film is used once too often. Also, the idea of recording in various sites outdoors is an intriguing one but seems to serve no specific purpose. It is mentioned that the record will be a love letter to New York but none of the songs seem to be about the city in any way. The most egregious moment though is when Dan, who is portrayed as having a great taste in music and valuing talent above commerce, sets Norah Jones as a benchmark of quality!
Having said all that, Begin Again is a thoroughly enjoyable movie.
Rating: 8 out of 10