Begin Again

Having experienced success with Once, Irish writer-director John Carney repeats the bittersweet formula in Twice. Just kidding, but Begin Again also centers on brokenhearted people who bond over music. Here, it's sweet-but-insecure songwriter/singer Greta (Keira Knightley), and self-destructive, cash-strapped recording executive Dan (Mark Ruffalo). Greta moved from London to Manhattan to be with her boyfriend/songwriting partner, Dave (Adam Levine), who becomes a major recording artist and dumps her for another woman. Disconsolately singing in a dingy bar one night at the urging of her busker friend (James Corden), Greta is spotted by Dan, who has alienated his business partner (Yasiin Bey, aka Mos Def), ex-wife (Catherine Keener), and teenage daughter (Hailee Steinfeld). Inspired by Greta's raw authenticity, Dan convinces her to collaborate on a demo album that is recorded, guerrilla-style, incorporating the ambient sounds of New York. But Greta has no desire to be rich and famous; she just wants to share her music with the world. Just like in Once, the characters here are caught between personal ambition and professional integrity. But while affable Ruffalo does rumpled authentically, Knightley is too sophisticated to convincingly pull off naiveté. Still, this should be considered a strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “making-of” featurette (21 min.), music videos by costars Adam Levine and Keira Knightley—including Levine's “Lost Stars” (15 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for an uneven film.] (S. Granger)