How often do you find the right person?

She is a Czech immigrant ‘Girl’ who sees a ‘Guy’ singing with his guitar at night in the streets of Ireland. She says she really likes his music. He says he sings his own songs only at night because he fears no one will listen to anything other than familiar tunes in the daytime. She says, "I listen." He says, "But you only give me five cents." She curiously asks, “Do you do this for money then?” He shyly answers no.

They later go to a music store and she asks him to sing one of his songs. He hesitates at first but she offers to play along on a display piano. He teaches her the chords and starts singing one of his songs on his guitar. She quickly and precisely harmonizes with her voice and the piano.

The camera lovingly, visually guides its audience to the mutual connection that the guy and the girl share, as in their first, incredibly moving number together in that music store called, “Falling Slowly.” First, it focuses on him for a while, then on her, and then slowly brings the two together in the same frame and rotates from his perspective to hers.

The hurt they share in their singing involves their romantic pangs. She has a daughter and a distant husband back in her homeland, whom she married at a far too young age. His songs are all about his old girlfriend whom he resents for cheating on him but cannot get over.

The most tender moment in the movie is when she leans her head on his shoulder after she reveals a song she has written herself.

This is a type of movie that deserves to be seen more than ONCE.  A movie that provides a real heart and emotion that is rare to find.  It’s like we are listening to the musical we each carry inside us and that no one ever hears. ONCE hears it, though, and it rocks the soul.

"How often do you meet the right person?”