A chance encounter between a disgraced music-business executive and a young singer-songwriter new to Manhattan turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents.
Like Knightley’s singing, the storytelling is earnest and not as bad as you might think. The music is pleasant alt-rock, and the performances are appealing. Yet Begin Again still struggles to hit the right note.
Begin Again is equally sweet and endearing and definitely not for the cynical.
Begin Again is a joyous movie about the good things in life: love, family, relationships, New York, creativity and music. And Knightley and Ruffalo make for one of the most unusual engaging couples of the year.
The gentle lightning of Once doesn’t strike twice for Carney, but his latest music movie has charm beneath its slick surface – and Knightley and Ruffalo harmonise just fine.
All over the place tonally but heart and funny bone are in the right place.
Uplifting crowd-pleaser.
John Carney looks to revive the busk aesthetic of his love story Once in this big-budget followup – with unconvincing results.
The film suffers from its own relentless optimism.
A cheery charmer that brings a smile to the face.
Twee in the extreme.
I found it moving, funny and really rather charming, provoking more than enough laughter and tears to dispel my underlying anxieties about the "live" performances.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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