The Swell Season (2011)
Coarse language and brief nudity
| Directors: | Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins, Carlo Mirabella-Davis |
| Actors: | Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova, Catherine Hansard |
The world fell in love with Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova when their songwriting collaboration in the film Once culminated in a jubilant Oscar win. But behind the scenes, where Glen and Marketa's on-screen romance became reality, a grueling two-year world tour threatens to fracture their fated bond. Filmed in black and white, this music-filled documentary is an intimate look at the exhilaration and turmoil created by both love and fame.
| Status: | Normal |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 91mins |
| Origin: | CZECH REPUBLIC |
| Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 |
Not so swell
by Simon Miraudo, 2/08/2011 12:54:00 PM
The Swell Season follows Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová - the talented musicians who starred in the indie hit Once, began dating on the film’s press circuit, and then won an Oscar for Best Original Song – as they tour the world under the moniker of, you guessed it, The Swell Season. Whereas Once ended with our two star-crossed lovers parting ways despite truly being in love with one another, this new documentary plays much like an extended alternate ending – although if you’re hoping this is the ending where Hansard and Irglová end up together for good, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed once more. The 41-year-old Guy and the 23-year-old Girl (to compare them again to their ‘unnamed’ characters from Once)called it quits after enduring the strain of their endless concerts and ...
The Swell Season follows Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová - the talented musicians who starred in the indie hit Once, began dating on the film’s press circuit, and then won an Oscar for Best Original Song – as they tour the world under the moniker of, you guessed it, The Swell Season. Whereas Once ended with our two star-crossed lovers parting ways despite truly being in love with one another, this new documentary plays much like an extended alternate ending – although if you’re hoping this is the ending where Hansard and Irglová end up together for good, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed once more.
The 41-year-old Guy and the 23-year-old Girl (to compare them again to their ‘unnamed’ characters from Once)called it quits after enduring the strain of their endless concerts and sudden stardom. That directors Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins and Carlo Mirabella-Davis were on hand to capture their dissolution was both lucky, and, in a more human sense, rather unfortunate (especially for those of us who care so deeply for this relationship as it was depicted in the previous semi-autobiographical film). Ultimately, The Swell Season plays like an even-more-earnest sequel to Once - complete with plenty of new concert footage - which will surely be music to the ears of diehard fans. To everyone else, not so much.
2.5/5
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Member Reviews (2)
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Reviews
says
What on earth was the purpose of this tedious account about nothing? I have seen so much better films written, produced and acted by secondary students! This was boring, boring, boring. Oh, did I mention that is was boring?
Lisa
says
I was really keen to see what happened to these two people after they made Once; it was an ok doco but could have been a lot lot better.
There was some quick scenes i wandered why they bothered to put them in, and shoud have been more about how they got to the point where the doco started, there was not really much information on how it all happened (even though I know the story it could have been explained). There certainly could have been more explanation about their lives, considering it was a doco on them.
Still it was good to see if you were interested in it as a followup to the movie, but if you havent seen Once - it wouldnt mean anything to you