If somebody told me that one of my favorite movies of the summer would be one where Keira Knightly star as an aspiring singer/songwriter, I probably would have laughed in your face. However, Begin Again is more than that. It is a film about hope and new beginnings. It is a film with a heart and soul as deep and meaningful as the music that accompanies it.
The reason that this movie works is the chemistry between the two stars: Knightly and Mark Ruffalo (Seriously, I'm starting to think that Mark Ruffalo can do no wrong in the movies). Now, this is not saying that the music is not important. The music is the centerpiece of the story. But what keeps the narrative flowing is the easy way that the leads interact and breath life into the music that they are making. And having a music superstar like Adam Levine singing some of the biggest numbers of the film created a nice counterbalance to the softer, more heartfelt numbers Knightly sings.
Besides the main story, there is actually a believable and human understory. Ruffalo had a been a producer superstar, and then everything blew up. This is a movie not just about trying to make Knightly a music superstar, it is one about Ruffalo's character getting his life back together. And while you can't help but notice the chemistry between him and Knightly, you have to root for him to get back to his family, the wonderful additions of Catherine Keener and Hailee Steinfeld. This is a story that is real and deep and human.
Bottom line: If you are a fan of music and heart, go see this movie. Right now.
Grade: A
