If You Loved 'Sing Street', Don't Miss This 97%-Rated Romantic Drama From the Same Director

John Carney's Once, released in 2007, remains one of the most touching and underrated romantic dramas in cinema history.

Rather than telling a love story, the movie sings and plays it on guitar and piano, forcing us to forget all conventions and simply lose ourselves in the music.

Once almost wasn't made: Cillian Murphy's refusal to produce it meant the project lost funding. The creators relied solely on their talent, friendship, and faith in miracles – and miracles did happen.

What Is 'Once' About?

The movie is set in the streets of Dublin, where we meet two unnamed characters: a Guy and a Girl. Guy is a street musician who plays the guitar during the day and collects coins from passersby. At night, he writes songs about heartbreak.

Girl is a young Czech immigrant who sells flowers and magazines to support herself and her young daughter, and dreams of becoming a pianist. They meet by chance when Girl notices Guy playing her favorite song and decides to get to know him.

Thus begins a story that lasts only a few days but leaves a lasting impression.

'Once' Captivates With Its Magic of Improvisation and Genuine On-Screen Emotions

Nearly two decades later, one of the main reasons Once remains such a poignant film is its remarkable sincerity. Director John Carney, a former musician, chose to rely on improvisation and genuine emotion.

Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová weren't professional actors, they were musicians who agreed to play themselves, or at least their alter egos, and their lack of acting experience became the movie's greatest strength.

Over the course of three weeks of filming, the camera simply captured their lives, and viewers witnessed the birth of genuine emotion between the two characters. Behind the scenes, Hansard and Irglová fell in love, and their genuine chemistry permeates every frame.

The scene in which they perform Falling Slowly for the first time in the music store is particularly moving. It wasn't a rehearsed scene but a spontaneous improvisation that will forever be etched in the annals of cinema.

'Once' Has Produced a Legacy That Lives on in Many Forms

Once transcended the realm of cinema: its soundtrack, composed by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, became a work of art in its own right, and the song Falling Slowly earned the duo an Oscar and remains forever in the hearts of millions of listeners.

Following the movie's success, they formed the band The Swell Season, embarked on a world tour, and made a documentary about their journey.

The documentary not only showed their triumph, but also how their romantic relationship gradually cooled – the filmmakers witnessed how their love evolved into friendship and a creative partnership.

Even after their romance ended, the musical bond remained unshakable. In 2025, they released a new album, and when Hansard tragically died in a motorcycle accident at the end of July 2026, Markéta performed The Song of Good Hope at his funeral, paying tribute to the man with whom she had once shared the stage and life.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Once'?

• Once has 97% from critics and 91% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.8/10.

• On Letterboxd, Once scored 3.9/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Once'?

Once is available to buy or rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.