Spotlight

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Tom McCarthy/Starring: Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Brian d'Arcy James, Stanley Tucci, Jamey Sheridan and Billy Crudup

Two films on journalism are currently making the rounds of theaters; The Truth and Spotlight. Both tell stories based on actual events but of the two, it is safe to say the latter is the superior. While the former flounders in liberal sanctimony, the latter is tougher and ultimately more disquieting. The former makes the filthier aspects of journalism look glamorous with Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford in the leads while the latter is grittier and glamor-free.

Based on the Boston Globe's investigation into pedophilia in the Catholic Church, Spotlight tells the story of how the newspaper's crack reporting team; known as Spotlight, uncovered the Catholic church's efforts to bury evidence condemning more than 90 clergymen in the Boston area. We are reminded how daunting the investigation must have been in a city that is 53% Catholic and in thrall to men of the cloth. Pursuing the story means, as several Boston Globe personnel are quick to point out to the newly-arrived editor Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber), suing the Church. Baron learns how daunting the idea of taking on a monolithic institution with impressive and near-infinite resources can be when he assigns the Spotlight team; lead by Walter "Robby" Robertson (Michael Keaton) to research the story. Robertson's staff of veteran reporters; Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) and Matt Carroll (Brian d'Arcy James) express surprise when given their new assignment; knowing former attempts to break the story of pedophiliac clergy were previously suppressed.

As Robertson and his staff chase down leads and interview victims, the effort to gain access to public files on cases against the Catholic Church is thwarted not only by the church itself, but the legal system, which becomes a collusive agent. But Spotlight learns of other lawyers who have filed cases or have pending cases against the church. One such lawyer: Mitchell Garabedian (Stanley Tucci), is at first reluctant to allow Spotlight to interview his clients but eventually cooperates. Another lawyer for a high-profile firm; Eric Macleish (Billy Crudup), has also tried cases against the church with mixed results but unlike Garabedian, he refuses to share any information on his cases. The way Macleish responds to Robertson's request for information tell us everything about the Catholic Church's extensive power and influence.

Those that share personal accounts of abuse with Spotlight reporters tell disturbing stories of being coerced by priests, who they held in reverence and awe, to perform sex acts on them, including fellatio and intercourse.

Spotlight also makes contact with a former victim; Phil Saviano (Neal Huff), who has since formed an organization to help victims and who becomes a key source in the investigation. Spotlight members encounter much resistance from parishioners, who find the idea of exposing priests and bishops unsavory.

We get a sense of the sickness that pervades the priestly ranks, which leaves one with a feeling of revulsion. In one disturbing scene, Sacha interviews a pedophile priest at his front door. We expect the priest to slam the door in her face but instead he is shockingly candid about what he did but more horrific is his lack of remorse or any acknowledgement of guilt. His mantra-like response to Sacha's questions about molesting kids is "Yes, but I didn't feel any gratification." The questions are brought to a halt by the priest's sister, who does slam the door. And though the Spotlight team makes progress in their interviews and fact-finding, Baron realizes the story will only make an impact if the they can prove the abuse was systemic, which means running afoul of Cardinal Law, the presiding church power. Doing so also means securing the files on cases against the church.

In a exciting sequence, Rezendes manages to gain access to the secret files but not without stiff resistance from a clerk who isn't sympathetic to the reporter's investigation.

What Spotlight accomplished is public record now, but seeing the story depicted in a movie gives one a sense of how determined the Catholic Church is/was to suppress its darkest, evil secrets. This is accomplished in part by excellent performances all around and intelligent, crisp dialogue that keeps one's ears engaged and mind alert. Michael Keaton proves his performance in Birdman is no fluke. His intense presence plays well against Schreiber's Marty Baron, whose reserve masks a penetrating intelligence. Mark Ruffalo is always terrific and Rachel McAdams, who has recently extricated herself from years of crappy romantic comedies, is also quite good.

The pace is fast but not frenetic though one is sure to confuse names and personalities in a film where facts and people quickly come and go.

Though director McCarthy's story is affectively told, somehow it failed to completely go for the throat. It is a terrific film and a stirring one, but it wasn't as dark as I had hoped it would be. This should in no way be read as a major criticism but maybe just personal taste. The Catholic Church has much to answer for in its history; the sexual abuse of children is only one example of its moral failings. The film's unflinching pursuit of one truth the Church would rather not acknowledge or pretend doesn't exist is commendable and brave, especially when one considers it may offend a certain movie-going demographic.

It is particularly sobering to see the staggering list of international cities where church members have reported abuse, which precedes the end credits. It is even more sobering to see one's home town on the list.

Spotlight is one of the significant films of the season. Whether it will be worth seeing again years hence or become a relic is for the future to determine. For now, it is a compelling drama with a big target.

Infinitely Polar Bear

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Maya Forbes/Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Keir Dullea, Imogene Wolodarsky and Ashley Aufderheide

There are two types of characters in film that can be insufferable if not given proper dimension; drunks and manic-depressives. Director Maya Forbes' Infinitely Polar Bear may be the first film to feature both. Mark Ruffalo; an actor of considerable talent, is given the daunting task of making Cameron Stuart; the protagonist, someone real and of this Earth. Though the supporting cast have their own acting challenges, much rests on Ruffalo's performance.
Playing a manic-depressive is tricky; the precarious balancing act requires the actor capture the ecstatic flights of messy chaos that govern the mind of a bi-polar without the performance becoming incoherent. But the actor must also find the character's essence beneath the all the histrionics, lest the performance become Barnum and Bailey. As an unwritten rule, the character need not be charming or likeable, just watchable.

Unfortunately, Ruffalo's performance is susceptible to every aforementioned acting pitfall. Fortunately for the movie-goer, his performance is only vexing for half the movie until it becomes a bit more settled in the second half and hence, a bit more tolerable.

The time is the early 1970s' and the place is Boston. Mark Ruffalo plays Cameron, a manic-depressive father of two girls and a husband to Maggie (Zoe Saldana); who is thrust into the role of family breadwinner, for obvious reasons. Living on family money controlled and doled out by Cameron's grandmother and Maggie's modest library pay, the family's economic situation is kept buoyant, if not viable. While Maggie holds down her job, Cameron's bipolar condition prevents him from maintaining steady work, which makes parenting his daughters Amelia (Imogene Wolodarksy) and Faith (Ashley Aufderheide) a necessity.

The family's situation becomes complicated when Maggie is accepted to Columbia. The development entails being away from Cameron and her daughters but it also means leaving her volatile husband in charge. Unable to bring the girls to New York City, Maggie sees no alternative but to entrust the care of her daughters to Cameron.

The situation becomes predictably problem-laden as Cameron's over-the-top behavior becomes a source of embarrassment to the girls. His around-the-house projects, though useful and often creative, begin to consume every available space. The clutter becomes so overpowering the girls refuse to let the neighborhood into their home.

But Cameron's fanciful flights sometimes have a salutary effect; his daughters are often as likely to be amused and entertained by his whimsy as they are vexed by his hysterics. Sometimes Cameron seems remarkably focused, as when he manages to impress the girls by taking the initiative to tidy the apartment. Order is short-lived as tidiness becomes prey to his his scattered, chaotic thinking and his messy pursuits.

But Cameron's more troubling behavior resides in his highly irresponsible drinking, where all-night binges at a local watering hole mean leaving his daughters unattended at home. We see Cameron arrive home after one such outing, only to find the front door chained by his angry daughters, who we know are well-acquainted with his irresponsible drinking.

Maggie's weekend visits become an exciting weekend ritual for the family but also serve as ballast for Cameron's erratic behavior. In spite of Cameron's behavioral excesses, he manages not to alienate his family or lose their affection.

With her family firmly rooted in Boston, Maggie contends with problems of her own as she begins interviewing at investment firms in New York City. The prejudices and sexist views of the time are thrown into sharp relief when we see prospective employers recoil from Maggie's disclosure that she has kids.

While I found Mark Ruffalo's depiction of manic-depression unconvincing and hyperbolized, Zoe Saldana's performance proved to be more affecting and real. I found Maggie and her plights to be more compelling than Cameron's struggles with manic-depression and drinking. Maggie's story could have been the subject of a better movie; a black woman trying to raise two children in the bigoted, sexist seventies. But what we have instead is one more film about manic-depression; a topic I would prefer became extinct (unless someone can pen a more moving story).

If I can offer any honorific praise, it is in the production design. The 1970s' looked remarkably authentic but other than my selective praise, I'm afraid I can recommend little else about the film. Though we can give Forbes credit from steering the film away from cutesy-ness the title suggests the film might succumb to, we can only wonder why the story ignores the dark, antipodal moods that contrast the emotional highs in a bipolar's life. If the film's title doesn't put you off, the film itself may. For a story about a manic-depressive alcoholic, the film seems astonishingly free of gravitas. Cameron's bipolar histrionics and boozing forays often seem more like idiosyncratic flights rather than potentially harmful behavior that might test a family's emotional stamina.

As far as films about bipolars go, I have always preferred Richard Gere's manic-depressive in Mr. Jones. At least we got the lows with the highs in that film. Infinitely Polar Bear is all highs and mid-range. But as far as a movie-going experience goes, it's definitely a low; one unalleviated by any proper prescription or script.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Joss Whedon/Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, James Spader (Voice), Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders and Peggy Carter

Crash! Bang! Smash! Crack! Pow!--have I overlooked any other sound effect? With Avengers: The Age of Ultron, you get that and more. What carnage! What destruction! And unbelievable mayhem! And oh, yeah; the world somehow emerges intact though the real Marvel is how the world's greatest crime fighters manage to leave the rest of the planet rubble-free.

Joss Whedon is back with a super-hero assemblage whose popularity may soon eclipse the X-Men's. Though I've come to expect over-the-top, CGI wreckage and ear-punishing noise in the Summer blockbuster season, I find Whedon's variety to be quite fun. Of course it helps to have the Ministry of Mayhem: Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Nastasha Romanoff/Black Widow (the sensuous Scarlett Johansson) dispensing it in highly entertaining ways. But the group's peacetime bonding proves to be as entertaining as their violent outings.

It also helps that the cast has presence; a very necessary and indispensable super-hero quality, which helps sell the story and keep our eyes glued to the screen.

The film also has its share of funny banter, which ensures the movie doesn't stray too close to the too-serious, too-earnest precipice.

The new movie doesn't waste a breath plunging the audience into action as the Avengers find themselves assaulting a fortress where the baddie Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann) hides out with two of his genetically-engineered creations; the super-powered twins Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Strucker is in possession of Loki's staff; a powerful and dangerous item Thor intends to return to Asgard; home of the Norse gods. Of course we get to see the Avengers wield their distinctive powers as they pummel and brush aside soldiers en route to the fortress. And as they enter the compound, we also see what the evil twins Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver can do. Scarlet Witch's ability to use people's greatest fears against them and Quicksilver's light-speed kineticism present considerable problems for the Avengers but though they present a formidable defense, the Avengers manage to retrieve the staff and escape to their Tony Stark-designed headquarters in New York City.

The Avengers previous battle with aliens (see the first film) inspires Tony Stark to employ the staff's dark power--very ill-advised--to impart artificial intelligence to a robotic unit he intends to use to defend Earth from another threat of an alien invasion. Stark shares his idea only with Dr. Banner; thus circumventing team oversight. Before he can complete a prototype for his new project, the unit assumes control of his own creation and in doing so, a malevolent entity is formed: Ultron. Before it can be stopped, it destroys Stark's hyper-advanced cyber-assistant Jarvis and escapes. When the Avengers team learn Stark is behind its creation, they are more than a little furious. Stark's brainchild, though altruistically conceived, unleashes yet another danger they must overcome.

Whedon's film keeps a feverish pace; we barely have enough time to process expository information before more comes our way. Though its hyper-active, the film's break-neck speed manages to be bracing.

The Avengers find themselves racing around the globe to thwart Ultron's quest to upgrade himself and achieve invincibility; a goal partly realized when he seizes a supply of Vibranium; the strongest metal known to man (and the key material in Captain America's shield); whose indestructible quality he manages to harness for his robotic frame. Ultron, with the help of Scarlett Witch and Quicksilver (the twins' beef with the Avengers has its origins in the destruction of their village; an unexploded missile bearing Stark Industries name killed their family), manage to fight off the Avengers and in the process, the Scarlett Witch is able to play on their respective fears. Another indignity is visited on the team when Ultron steals Loki's staff.

As the Avengers lick their wounds, they find themselves hiding out in Hawkeye's secluded, country home (after Ultron's violent renovation of the Avengers Mansion) to rest and plan their next attack.

Here the film takes a more tender turn (believe it or not) as we--and the Avengers--learn of Hawkeyes' family and his expectant wife. A taste of Hawkeye's domestic bliss makes some of the other members wonder if they'll ever enjoy the same arrangement. But inter-member romance is also in the air, as Black Widow and Dr. Banner/Hulk show signs of mutual attraction though he is quick to warn her that his condition makes a relationship impossible.

Before the team (and the audience) is allowed further inertia, the heroes are off again, this time to South Korea, where they learn Ultron is intent on creating a new version of himself. The would-be Ultron; a synthetic/organic hybrid, will only render him more dangerous and deadly. As Ultron loads his consciousness into his new self, the Scarlet Witch penetrates its mind and discovers what Ultron has planned for the human race: complete and utter destruction. Horrified, the twins turn against him while the Avengers arrive to steal the new entity before Ultron can complete the transfer.

After more car-crashes and building demolition, the Avengers manage to escape with Ultron's creation and in doing so, they find themselves with a new ally and superhero.

The film's final battle pits the Avengers, the Maximoff twins and the new super-hero against Ultron and his robotic minions, as he sets his apocalyptic plan into action.

There is much to like about Whedon's film. I liked the sequence where the Hulk runs amok; an issue Stark must address with his super version of Iron Man. I also liked the movie's human dimension; family, romance, etc, which the film sorely needs.

What meaning we can glean from the Summer's first blockbuster may lie in its cynical view of technology. The idea of its application causing as much harm as good is eloquently expressed as we see Ultron vent his wrath on the planet. It is also very interesting to see Tony Stark/Iron Man become a villain in his own right as he conceals his Ultron project from the Avengers before nearly becoming an agent in mankind's destruction. Very nice twist.

I do have one question for Whedon: how can so much destruction not affect city and town infrastructures and do the Avengers foot the bill for it all? Just wondering.

Whedon's film is just the beginning of movie Summer's CGI extravaganzas and though we may be sick to death of it all come August, at least here it serves a story and doesn't entirely overwhelm the human element. The final battle left me a little weary of the chaos; just when I thought all of Ultron's robots had been vanquished, more appeared to be torn apart. It was an unnecessary prolongation but the producers (All thirteen of them! Yes, they outnumber the Avengers) may have felt another pause in the action may have caused a riot in the theater.

My summation: The Avengers: Age of Ultron is great fun. And if you're wondering (anyone who has seen the series won't) whether the film sets up the next iteration, have no fear. Can this franchise stand five films? If they can entertain like Whedon's latest, why not?

Will Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk and Hawkeye return? We'll find out in two years time. See you there.

Note to viewers: you may not want to wait for the end credits to pass as has become the custom with Marvel adaptations; the next antagonist makes an appearance after the main action.

Foxcatcher

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Bennett Miller/Starring: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller and Vanessa Redgrave

I wish I hadn't known about the John du Pont story before seeing Bennett Miller's extraordinary new film Foxcatcher. I followed the developments in the local paper in the mid 1990s'; finding the story compelling for many reasons. But though I knew how the story on the screen would play out, it didn't detract from the experience nor did it make the film any less powerful.

I also found Miller's Moneyball to be equally absorbing but his new film has catapulted him into the dizzying heights of creative brilliance. If that sounds like fulsome praise, then I suggest you see the film for yourselves.

The du Pont family fortune was made substantial by arms manufacturing and its chemical industries, which allowed them to pursue excellence in equestrian sports, for which they were renown.

For reasons explicable only to John du Pont, he developed an obsessive interest in Olympic and world class wrestling. By providing wrestlers with a training facility in which to pursue a world championship or gold medal, he probably felt (as we see in the film) he could attain and experience a vicarious victory; one that might challenge the family's equestrian achievements--at least in his mind.

When the story begins in the mid to late 80s', we meet the two 1984 Olympic gold medalist brothers whose lives became entwined with John du Pont's; older brother David Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), and his younger brother Mark (Channing Tatum). We see the brothers training; grappling on a mat and trying to maneuver with arms and hands to execute moves. Mark's demeanor; angry and brooding, contrasts sharply with his older brother David's, which is more gregarious. Miller lets the camera rest on the two brothers as they exchange throws. The scene plays for awhile as we get some sense of the brothers passionate commitment to the sport and their competitive spirit. Mark eventually draws blood from his brother's nose when he upper-cuts him with his head. Rather than grouse, David merely wipes his nose then resumes practice.

Channing Tatum affects an under-bite, which gives him a neanderthalic appearance and lends his anger extra intensity. We don't understand the origins of his anger but we know years of wrestling have hardly served as a coolant.

One day, as Mark kills time alone in his very modest apartment, he receives a call from one of John du Pont's assistants, who suggest Mark visit the wealthy industrialist on his estate in Pennsylvania. With all travel expenses paid, Mark agrees. Arriving by helicopter, Mark discovers the du Pont estate is located near historic Valley Forge, which we soon learn plays a mythic role in John's life.

The first meeting between John and Mark is very odd. John is phlegmatic and reserved as he watches Mark with the eyes of a carnivorous bird observing its prey. John even mentions his nickname is "Golden Eagle" and suggests to the bewildered wrestler that he go bird-watching on his estate but not without presenting him a book on birding, which he happened to write.

But we learn John's interest in Mark has little to do with birds. With patriotic fervor, he tells Mark that he and his brother Dave should have been better recognized by the country for their achievements in the Olympics. Shortly thereafter, John leads Mark to a building which on the inside is an impressive gym tailored specifically for wrestlers. Stunned and pleased, Mark is further awed by John's offer to allow Olympic hopefuls to train on the Foxcatcher grounds. He also offers Mark a $25,000 salary and the use of a chalet as his residence on the estate.

Also intrigued by Mark's brother David, John deploys the young wrestler as an emissary to lure his brother to Foxcatcher. David asks Mark the very pertinent question: "What does he get out of this?" The deceptively simple question proves to be more complicated than John's "contribution to America" explanation.

Unable to convince his brother to join him at Foxcatcher, John and Mark develop a friendly relationship and become closer as training begins in earnest. In the relationship that blossoms, Mark accompanies John on an inspection of a military vehicle of DuPont industries' design, only to watch him angrily demand a .50 caliber machine gun for the armored carrier. He then sees John slap the clipboard out of the military contractor's hand. We, like Mark, get a taste of John's violent temper, which seems all the more shocking coming from someone so seemingly unflappable and kind.

And we wonder, as David does, what really motivates John to provide so much for a sport his mother (Vanessa Redgrave) believes is "low." It's in the tension between John and his mother where the psychological footprints of his actions are laid bare. The mother's gallery of Equestrian trophies is suddenly sharing space with medals earned by John's Team Foxcatcher at an international competition. Like the sibling rivalry John perceives between Mark and David, we see a similar rivalry between he and his mother; one more subtle and just as fierce. After John sponsors a wrestling tournament in Phoenix for more mature men, he shows his mother his first place trophy, which she recognizes as the sham it is. We see that John has been scarred by his failure to please his mother.

But it isn't only a rivalry John shares with his mother. During a conversation, John relates his lonely childhood to Mark and an incident where he discovered his only friend was actually someone hired by his mother to fulfill the role. In a moment of commiseration, Mark divulges that he too had no friends growing up, which completes the empathetic bond the two men share.

Before John is finally able to draw David to Foxcatcher, we see him slowly become unhinged. He inexplicably (and ominously) visits--with gun in hand--the training facility where the wrestlers are waiting to begin practice. After briefly watching the wrestlers, he raises his gun and fires off a round, much to the shock and dismay of the team. Another incident follows soon after when John visits the wrestlers, who are gathered to watch T.V. at Mark's chalet. When John confronts him about the wrestlers inactivity, Mark mentions giving the group the morning off. What follows is hardly unexpected, as John slaps Mark. The relationship deteriorates soon after and with it, Mark's performance on the mat. After David moves to Foxcatcher to become part of the training regimen, Mark qualifies for the 1988 Seoul Olympics but only with difficulty. Complications arise at Foxcatcher when John's Svengali-like control of Mark is threatened by the brothers troubled but close relationship.

In one of the film's strange ironies, Mark tries to convince David to leave Foxcatcher to coach at BYU, only to be told his brother has no wish to leave.

Mark performs badly at the Seoul Olympics, losing in a first round rout. On his return to Foxcatcher, we see John watching Mark's moving van pull away from the chalet. What follows soon after seems almost tragically inevitable.

Even though I followed the story in the New York Times, I realized how little I knew about the interpersonal dynamics and John du Pont's frail psyche. The film concludes horrifically as we come to understand how one man's brittle self-image and feeble self-esteem could be the catalyst for a grisly, violent act.

In my recollection of the movie, I try to exercise objectivity by identifying the film's flaws but Foxcatcher is nigh perfect (in my estimation) and it easily challenges the year's best for cinematic excellence.

Steve Carell's performance has been heralded by considerable buzz, and I must say he lives up to it. Unrecognizable in his facial prosthetic, he quite simply vanishes; allowing an entity to inhabit his body. To watch Carell gaze stolidly over his upturned nose at those around him is enough to give one the creeps. Behind the veneer of calm seethes something dark and disturbed, which Carell captures expertly in his tour de force performance.

No less impressive are Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo. Tatum has been careful, at least in recent years, to guard his career from excessive second-rate Hollywood filmic incursions. Here he balances his physical performance with psychological nuance. His rage-induced mayhem inside a hotel room is powerful and self-destructive, which Tatum executes with emotional cogency.
Ruffalo is excellent as David and again shows what he can do with choice material. And for her brief appearance as John's mother, Jean du Pont, the ever-excellent Vanessa Redgrave is able to convey so much about a mother's disappointment for her son while also infantilizing him.

Miller maintains a somber mood throughout, which is made possible in part by the use of muted colors. Everything indoors and out seems monochromatic and devoid of life and joy. Like the monument to Valley Forge seen earlier in the film, the Foxcatcher grounds seem very much like a memorial rather than an estate, which is echoed in the colonial facade of the du Pont home.

The theme of class difference and its attendant mutual hostilities isn't lost on screenwriters E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, who have imagined Mark and David to be pawns of a rich man's whims. For all of John's talk about America and his patriotism, and the pride he takes in discussing the sacrifices made by men at Valley Forge, he has few qualms about buying men he deems heroes while regarding them as a hobby.
Foxcatcher will no doubt be on many cinephile's and critics' year's best lists; a distinction it richly deserves. It is a resonant, cinematic achievement and another stop on Bennett Miller's artistic, upward spiral.

Begin Again

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: John Carney/Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, Hailee Steinfeld, Mos Def, Catherine Keener, James Corden and Adam Levine

Director John Carney struck gold with Once some years back, with its charming leads and lovely, heartfelt songs. Begin Again hopes to recapture some of that magic but with a high-profile cast and a setting more American. Everything that made Once a sweet surprise is glaringly absent here as Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley try in vain to make what is essentially a re-worked and warmed-over version of Carney's better film hum. Unfortunately, its musical theme is mostly a thrum.

From Carney's own script is a story of a nearly washed-out, small record company executive named Dan (Ruffalo) who manages to lose his job as a partner at the label he helped found. He drinks excessively, is separated from his wife and infrequently sees his teenage daughter, who is mildly contemptuous of him whenever he arrives to pick her up. He is also broke and even involves his daughter in a drink-and-dash at a bar when he learns neither can foot the bill. Dan's pathetic, selfish and desperate nature comes through loud and clear.

Dan then meets Greta (Knightley), a singer-songwriter from London whose boyfriend Dave (Maroon 5's Adam Levine) has just broken into the music bigtime. Briefly sharing his success, she discovers an affair he's had with a record label staff member when he plays her a song that is all-too-revealing. Greta leaves Dave then seeks temporary shelter with her fellow countryman singer Steve (an amusing James Corden). After she is coaxed onstage by Steve at a local club, Greta's song meets an unreceptive audience and she leaves the stage dejected. Unbeknownst to Greta, her song manages to charm one patron--a liquored but appreciative Dan, who happens to be watching.

We first hear her perform the song, then later we see the performance from Dan's perspective. His fine-tuned musical experience allows him to hear the song with instrumental accompaniment. A piano, guitar, drums, violin and cello all play themselves; bringing a fuller, warmer sound to the composition. This segment was a nice touch; it was very musical and it gave Ruffalo's character some professional credibility.

Impressed with Greta's song, Dan approaches her afterward with an offer to record her music though he is up front about losing his job, being broke and drinking way too much. Greta is skeptical, citing her plans to return to London the next day and a natural aversion to recording her music.

The next day Greta agrees to his offer to record her music which inspires Dan to use various locations around the city rather than a studio to capture her sound. Dan also manages to find musicians hungry and eager enough to work for free. I liked the scenes where the band records in alleys, building-tops, Central Park, Chinatown and the subway. The natural settings allow Carney a natural visual palette from which to utilize the city's inherent charms and personality. The improvised locations are perfectly wed to the rag-tag group's guerilla recording tactics. Carney's directorial inventiveness comes through here and lends some color to the story.

As the recordings progress, Dan must deal with his fractured relationship with his daughter and his wife while Greta hopes to overcome her post-break-up despondence. A natural romantic bond blossoms between Dan and Greta though they resist its allure.

I wish the story had followed a less-predictable course but it seems the God of Neat Endings and Mended Loose Ends must be appeased--a filmmaker's typical pitfall--which cripples a film that occasionally strayed into interesting areas.

Catherine Keener's role as Mark Ruffalo's wife was shamefully underwritten. A fully-realized character in Keener's hands can be something wonderful, but here she behaves according to the script's dictates, which is a pity. Steinfeld can always be counted on for some quirkiness but her only vacation from her rigidly drawn character is a scene where she is invited to play guitar with the band. Ruffalo is always interesting, playing his character with ragged appeal and sprinkles of scoundrel thrown in. I'm afraid to say I found Keira Knightley spectacularly miscast. I couldn't buy her for a second as a singer/songwriter though she does have a pleasing singing voice. Even small details like the way she tentatively held her guitar made her unconvincing. Music doesn't radiate from her the way it does from say, a Joni Mitchell or a Neil Young; songwriters who play their guitars with authority and love. I'm also of the school that finds her mannerisms distracting and annoying, which makes it difficult to forget HER in her performance.

Greta's bland, generic songs also do no favors for the movie. Even with full-band accompaniment, they seem like any-song from anyone, with no real soul or passion. Even some of the CD demos Dan jettisons disgustedly from his car have more aural appeal than Greta's work.

Even though Carney may not have been conciously making Once II, I'm sure he was hoping the same spirits might be summoned for Begin Again. But among the many things that made Once irresistable was a story and characters that were so real because they essentially were. The actors wrote the songs; music so plaintive and beautiful but lived them as well. In a 2011 documentary (The Swell Season), which captured stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova in their post Once relationship, we see people and a romance that wasn't unlike the film. Hansard and Irglova could inhabit their characters and could write lovely, melancholy songs in Once because they were their characters. Music is as necessary and vital to them as their skin and they express this beautifully and tragically in the film.

If only Begin Again had the same poetic urgency it might have been something better than a drama plotted by a clockmaker; with gears and cogs that turn according to design but only yield the modest musical chirps of a cuckoo.