'I don't know you, but I want you...'

Eighty-eight minutes could not have been more captivating than when I retired to my couch to watch Once last night. Rarely do you drop upon a film that draws you so far into the soul of the story, the beauty of its characters, and the fervor of their relationships. Not to mention, that there was nothing glamorous about this movie...it was carried by people. No special effects or revolutionary cinematography. Nothing extraordinary to look at per se. Once is a musical, in the most natural state. There's no evident production. And as cliche or generic of a statement it is, I really can't find a better way to say it than as I was watching, I truly felt that this was life in motion picture.

The movie's story revolves around a young singer-songwriter (played by Glen Hansard) who performs out on the streets of Dublin when he's not working his father's shop, repairing vacuums. He's handsome, but the countenance of his eyes immediately express sadness. His voice confirms it and serves as the driving vigor of his musical direction, with his melancholy crooning sharply able to skip across octaves. As the movie opens, he finds himself encountered by a girl (played by Marketa Irglova) at night, who turns out to be a musician in her own right. The girl questions him, probing him about the inspiration behind the song that he just finished. There is an earnestness about the girl, something so unequivocally unprocessed, it's hard not to be enamored with her, as the guy quickly understands. Her beauty is dignified and even though she is quite visibly young, she knows how to throw her weight around. And she gets what she sets out for. One of my favorite images of the movie is of her walking next to him, ever so frequently looking back and forth at each other, as she holds on to her blue hoover vacuum by the hose, dragging it along as if she was dragging a puppy by the leash, as they go to his father's shop to get it fixed. The interaction between 'Guy' and 'Girl,' as listed in the credits, delivers nostalgia for many of us, about lost love and mutual gravitation, a magnetism that is blocked by circumstances in life...timing, complications, responsibilities. Yet you know that they are soul mates. And they know it too. It's heartbreaking and it's familiar. If you don't believe in soul mates, Once may change your mind. The moment they sit down to perform their first duet, Once mesmerizes your soul and touches your heart, with the harmonic intertwinement of their voices, and even more powerfully, each engagement of their eyes.

Once truly embodied the notion that treasure can be found in the fabric of people. No props necessary. I was surprised in the best way possible. I felt connected.