Hoover-Fixin' Sucker Man

I had a terrific opportunity last night to see a screening of the new Irish film once, written & directed by a very talented musician-turned-filmmaker, John Carney, and starring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Lo, it was a very special screening; afterwards, not only was there a Q & A session (emceed by the witty DJ El Toro from the best radio station in the world, KEXP 90.3, www.kexp.org) with the director and his two stars, but live music celebrating the songs from the film (and 1 non-related request from the audience).
For readers who may not be familiar with Glen Hansard, he is one of the founding members (along with John Carney and 4 others) of the Irish rock/folk group The Frames. He also had a part in another Irish music film, the 1991 gem The Committments (great soundtrack). Since 1990, The Frames have bashed out 8 albums, including 2 live albums, and have also been credited with influencing the newer Irish singer-songwriters-rockers like Damien Rice and Turn. And Marketa herself is no rookie. Though this is her first foray into acting, she has built a reputation as a talented Czech musician and composer.
The two artists originally had been approached to author two songs for a Czech film, Beauty in Trouble (coming to a film festival near you!) but ended up composing an entire album of 10 haunting and beautiful melodies called The Swell Season. Buy it. Download it. Most of all, enjoy it.
At first blush, once seems to be a very simple story. A young man - vacuum handyman by day, busker by afternoon & night - is approached one evening by a young woman asking him about the genesis of a particular song he is singing. They enter into a conversation, then a friendship, then something else. Both are very likable, neither seem disingenuous, and as everyone in the audience knows, countless love stories have been based on less. But then an amazing thing happens: with both subtleness and suddenness, the movie becomes a musical. A musical!? The nerve! The brilliance!
There are so many small moments of beauty and fragility throughout the story, moments that are so delicate that as an audience member you just want to hold your breath for fear you'll disturb the setting. And when it ends, there remains a small sense of that wonder just in case the story could continue (because you'll want it to) if you only wished hard enough. It was just a joyous experience, and the time spent with those involved in its creation was just so meaningful.
Tidbits:
The whole movie was made for the sum of $130K euros, $5K of which went solely to the rental of a crane for the ending shot.
There is a scene in the film where Glen is writing lyrics while watching home movies of his ex-girlfriend. This woman to whom he is composing a song called lies lies lies is, in actuality, the real-life girlfriend of the director; and those are their home movies.
Cillian Murphy was originally slated to play the part of the young man. The director was having difficulties finding a young, eastern European woman who could play the piano to fulfill the role of the woman. Glen suggested Marketa to John, and upon finding her perfect for the role, brought her to meet Cillian. Apparently, he was not keen on the idea of a non-actor playing opposite him and withdrew himself from the film. Things happen for a reason, folks. And as Carney said last night "for this type of film, it's much easier to work with musicians who can half-act, than with actors who can half-sing."
Rock on.