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Film, TV and Streaming

Film review: Begin Again

After a decade of being crowned queen of the period piece, Keira Knightley seems to be branching out into the modern world on screen these days. Similarly, just when fans started getting used to him as the latest face behind the Hulk, Mark Ruffalo co-stars with Knightley in a music-oriented romantic comedy of sorts to add to his versatile résumé.

With the help of musician-turned-filmmaker John Carney, comedy producer Judd Apatow and songwriter Gregg Alexander of the New Radicals comes “Begin Again.”

Within the span of 12 hours, once-hot music arranger Dan (Ruffalo) discovers he’s been let go from his record company, is out of money and is oblivious to his teenage daughter, Violet’s (Hailee Steinfeld) life. At the same time, struggling songwriter Gretta (Knightley) has been dumped by her rock star boyfriend and music partner Dave (Adam Levine), and is now more inspired than ever before to write new material.

When Dan notices Gretta performing one of her songs at an open mic night, he is struck with an epiphany to produce and manage her music. The two form their own eclectic back-up band and to save the little money they have, record in outdoor locations all over New York City.

Catherine Keener co-stars as Dan’s ex-wife, and Levine’s “The Voice” co-host Cee-Lo Green makes a cameo appearance, too. Carney follows up his first feature since the musical sleeper hit, “Once” eight years ago, and both films show that even though he’s been behind the camera for two decades, his love of music didn’t fade.

“Begin Again” is not only a film to be enjoyed by viewers who play music, but more by viewers who love music. Knightley, herself an amateur singer and whose last music experience was for the soundtrack of “The Edge of Love,” is actually quite good as the Colbie Caillat-type artist and can carry a tune just fine.

Ruffalo and Levine are perfectly cast as the men in her life. With Ruffalo playing a music producer version of his usual laidback, hippie type, and Levine playing a rock star with a lot of success and ego. Alexander’s songs for the film are catchy but not corny, and Carney even contributes a couple of tracks to the already memorable soundtrack. Despite the R-rating for language, like most of Apatow’s previous movies, “Begin Again” is a perfect film for music and movie fans for most ages this summer. Rated R.



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