That thing you do! [1996]

I saw this 1996 comedy, written and directed by Tom Hanks, a long time, on TV, and loved it, for its characters and story, but most of all, for its song, which I still like. Actually, that was the reason I decided to watch it again- I came across 'That Thing You Do' and I said to myself I have to see it again. The film tells the story of a young 1964 band who suddenly comes into the spotlight, as their song becomes a hit all around the country.

The script is simple, sweet and catchy. It doesn't aim to be an award-winning one, but it does want its viewer to be entertained and happy. There are a lot of great scenes, full of energy and youthfulness, like the one when their song is put on radio for the first time, or the screaming girls at the back door exit. It makes you smile, dance and love the characters, but it does also feature moving scenes and back-to-reality moments, as the band falls apart and realise they fell into the trap of the one hit wonder curse.

Speaking of casting, I loved it- you had everyone from Steve Zahn as the wacky guitar man, to the sweet Ethan Embry as the bass player and Tom Everett Scott as Guy Patterson, who is an obvious Tom Hanks wannabe in the making- that being said, he was very charming and played his part very well; I wonder what he's doing now, I haven't seen him in a long time. I have a small crush on Liv Tyler, so of course I liked her character, and I have to mention two fantastic cameos: Chris Isaak, as Uncle Bob, who helps them record their first song, and Brian Cranston..aaa, yes Brian Cranston- it's a very brief moment, you might have missed him, I did, the first time I saw the film, but a couple of nights ago, I literally screamed his name when he appeared on screen.

Just to remind you what the fuss is about, here is the song you can't get out of your head, the one that was nominated for several awards, including Golden Globes and Oscars:
                                

You may not like That Thing You Do like I do but you should  give it a try next time you need to see something light- It's always an easy distraction and a very enjoyable one. 

Once [2006]

Written and directed by John Carney, "Once" is an Irish movie which tells the story of a man and a woman who share a love for music and their adventures into the recording business. What drove me to this film was the one of the songs of the soundtrack, "Falling slowly"- it won an Oscar and is always present in my playlist- so simple, sweet, yet powerful and melancholic; I love it!

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irgleva play the two main characters, with no names attributed, apparently- he is a busker and a part-time Hoover vacuums fixer, while she's an energetic immigrant who scrapes by everyday by selling flowers, whilst trying to feed her daughter and her mother.

The Guy, the lead, is just a man who can't give up the past and his cheating ex-girlfriend, constantly being held back by his obsession over his lost love who now lives in London; he even describes himself to the Girl as being "a broken-hearted Hoover fixer sucker guy". The movie is about his journey into the music business and it showcases his talents-he undoubtedly has a great voice, but honestly it is something you can see everyone, on every corner and on reality TV shows- his songs are nice, his voice is growly, but I didn't found anything special about him- would I buy his record? I'm not sure.

The Girl is a young woman who left everything behind in Chezch Republic and came to Dublin to provide a better future for her family. She is an interesting character, but very undeveloped in my opinion and rather unreadable- I couldn't actually connect with her, not even when she was around her daughter.

Their chemistry is palpable and you hold a hope in your mind that he forgets his bitter ex girlfriend and settles down with the Girl, but it never happens, and that's probably for the best- it avoids romantic comedies clichees. It's more than friendship, but it's not quite love, either.

What I admired and enjoyed about this particular script were the occasionally funny, original, yet seemingly real scenes; for example, the opening scene, where the Guy chases a heroin-addicted man who stole the money he got from busking; or his interaction with the Girl, and her brave determination to meet him again, after their brief discussion. I honestly laughed when the small loans manager tells them, at one point, "I wanna show you something" and at what happens afterwards.

It spiked in some moments, spoiling us with sweet moments and great music, but I was mostly underwhelmed by the amateur acting and the failure to make me feel excitement- the only scene that made my blood boil, to say so, was the one in which they played Falling Slowly, my song, and even that was rather bland.

"Once" seems like a raw, undeveloped feature, but it has some great moments- I guess the documentary feel to it, the amateur camera pinpoints the direction of where they wanted to take it, and I get it. Overall, I liked it, but it's not very memorable and the Girl just didn't do it for me.