Begin Again (II) (2013)

A chance encounter between a disgraced music-business executive and a young singer-songwriter new to Manhattan turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents.

Director:

John Carney

Writer:

John Carney

Stars:

Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Corden	...	Steve
Keira Knightley	...	Gretta
Mark Ruffalo	...	Dan
Hailee Steinfeld	...	Violet
Mos Def	...	Saul (as Yasiin Bey)
Karen Pittman	...	Business Woman #1
Paul Romero	...	Bartender
Catherine Keener	...	Miriam Hart
Andrew Sellon	...	Christian Father
Ed Renninger	...	Barman
Eric Burton	...	Singer Songwriter 2
Adam Levine	...	Dave Kohl
Marco Assante	...	Marco
Mary Catherine Garrison	...	Jill
Jen Jacob	...	Dave Fangirl

Storyline

Gretta (Keira Knightley) and her long-time boyfriend Dave (Adam Levine) are college sweethearts and songwriting partners who decamp for New York when he lands a deal with a major label. But the trappings of his new-found fame soon tempt Dave to stray, and a reeling, lovelorn Gretta is left on her own. Her world takes a turn for the better when Dan (Mark Ruffalo), a disgraced record-label exec, stumbles upon her performing on an East Village stage and is immediately captivated by her raw talent. From this chance encounter emerges an enchanting portrait of a mutually transformative collaboration, set to the soundtrack of a summer in New York City.

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Plot Keywords:

manhattan new york city | record label | singer songwriter | mobile phone | cell phone | 

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Taglines:

You're only as strong as your next move.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

14A

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 July 2014 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Can a Song Save Your Life?

Filming Locations:

Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$134,064 (USA) (27 June 2014)

Gross:

$16,168,741 (USA) (10 October 2014)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Exclusive Media Group, Sycamore Pictures, Apatow Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Scarlett Johansson was cast in the lead role but dropped out.

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Goofs

When Dan is talking to Saul, Saul's lapel pin is upside down, then right side up in the next shot.

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Quotes

Greta: You know, I wasn't trying to win you over. I was telling you to fuck off.

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Connections

References Casablanca (1942)

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Soundtracks

Keep It To Yourself
Written by Drew Lerdal, Kathy Hixon-Smith, Ryan Arthur Smith
Performed by Pony Up
Courtesy of In The Groove Music

User Reviews

A refreshing film ...without explosions?

I knew virtually nothing about this film - hadn't even seen the trailer

• when I drug my wife to see it last night, and we were both very

pleasantly surprised. The characters are drawn in such a way that they are both like-able and relatable. In the end, the film builds emotion with the audience not by means of incredible stretches of the imagination, but through a gradually reinforced empathy. I have seen all the summer blockbusters, and the single largest failure in most of them is that they create shallow characters that the audience does not care about.

The dynamics used in this movie cause an engagement in the audience that is necessary in ANY film for it to be great. This one is not to be missed in the CGI-filled summer.