Begin Again

(dir. John Carney) (2013)

A slight, Star-is-Born vignette features thick slices of schmaltz, yet manages to say something genuine about the contemporary creative process. Gal with wafer-crisp lungs is taken on by down-at-heel Svengali – sweetness prevails but not necessarily as predicted. Keira Knightley shows considerably more charm than she did through the entire ‘Pirates’ franchise; Mark Ruffalo underacts to shaggy advantage; James Corden is everyone’s kind older brother.

TVC’s favourite bits:
I) Keira’s lover returns from L.A. and plays her his new song, whereupon she instantly apprehends he has fallen for another;
II) Ruffalo drops his still respected business card on the ballet school pianist who immediately quits with ‘good luck girls’ and the lovely little ones wave an encouraging goodbye;
III) Keira and Mark dance in an acid house while plugged into Stevie Wonder’s ‘For Once In My Life’.