Disc Reviews
Begin Again Review
Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo team up with the Once guy for more melancholy indie-folk-acoustic guitar-romance drama. Where Once hit a chord (Editor: oh Jesus!!!) with the indie crowd, Begin Again aims to open up that spectrum to a wider audience, but retaining a similar flavour. Certainly similar characters and the way they feel about music.
So Knightley has been dumped by her more successful, and cheating, boyfriend (Played well by that Levine guy from Maroon 5) and whilst moping about playing dreary acoustic numbers she is spotted by Ruffalo’s down and out agent who sees just what her music could be and proposes they team up and make an album. So ensues a collision of ideas and ideals as they network their way around others and try to stay true to the spirit of independent music making.
Anyone that has seen Once and loved it will likely enjoy Begin Again, as will atypical romantic comedy lovers – although this is more about people finding their souls together.
But anyone that feels vomit creeping up their pipes to the back of their throat when confronted with thi sort of subject are well advised to steer clear as they will likely find the setup, the outcome and the music in between all very predictable.
Steven Hurst