Movies about ‘making it’ in the music industry have had a fluctuating sense of appeal over the years. This is thanks to the variation of musical genres that then permit various renditions of the format. From 1937’s much lauded A Star Is Born, which has been consistently remade and reworked over the years, most recently as Bradley Cooper’s 2018 re-telling, to something less rooted in the Hollywood bourgeoisie like Curtis Hanson’s 8 Mile. What was a refreshing addition to the genre was John Carney’s Once, which took the tried and tested story of musical desire to the streets of Ireland. When it was released back in 2006, the plaudits and accolades came racing in. As with every critically acclaimed film, it was only a matter of time before someone attempted to recapture that magical once in a generation combination of something as wonderfully simple and heartfelt as Once. Thomas Torrey’s Long December is the latest to attempt as such.
This review was posted on October 7th 2023. Full review linked below.
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