Begin again - the movie, the songs and this part of my life

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coming up roses by keira knightley

I just finished watching the movie ‘Begin Again’ and like Trouble Gum would say, some paranormal activity is flowing through me right now. Can I just put my writing critique aside and exclaim how jubilantly refreshing this movie is?

Begin again resonates with me on so many levels and shows up as a theme in such nuanced ways throughout the story. Greta (Keira Knightley’s character) beginning her new life, played absolutely to perfection by Keira: god, can I adore this woman more? with her captivating smile that hinges at the edge of playfulness, joy and teary happiness, I can’t seem to not think of Elizabeth Bennet — another strong woman who I don’t think will ever fade from my psyche, given the unhealthy number of times I’ve watch Pride and Prejudice for her, for Keira, for us all girls. What can I say? I’m just a girl, but also just a girl surrounded by female characters that seem to show up in my life, out of the blue, with stories to tell, to let me graciously swim in the wake of their unapologetic force of will and realisation.

I love how she (spoiler alert!) — oh you’ve mistakenly let your eyes drift a few words ahead? — doesn’t just end up skittling away into the arms of another man, although she comes up close. Dan’s character oozes the meat of the artist who’s lost his head trying to do the decent thing while staying sane and the scene where he remarks how people ever drink Pepsi when he turns down a champagne for a can of the same is close to my heart. “Don’t get too excited, I’m just trying it out”.

The double-headphone jack (which connects Dan and Miriam, later Dan and Greta and finally Dan and Miriam again) is not an object of unfamiliarity in my own life, but now that there’s a symbolism in here, I might have found a better, happier reason to hold onto it.

Violet’s (played by Hailee Steinfeld) extraordinary guitar solo — that’s it, I’m saying no more, you’ve got to watch it!

The soundtrack with no overhead, the juxtaposition of the tracks ‘Lost stars’ by Keira Knightley and ‘Lost stars’ by Adam Levine is silently, disturbingly mesmerising. As I was listening to the latter playing in the movie, I was apprehensive of how I’d probably end up not being able to enjoy it, plainly because of how she had asserted with almost desperation, “please don’t play it like that” — that implying the way he made it show-biz appropriate, stadium-pop, when it was supposed to be their delicate song. But the film took care to stay true to its purpose — now every time I hear Dave (Adam Levine’s character) singing it, I’ll remember the close-up shots of Greta riding her bicycle on a New York night, knowing full well she’s the lost star lighting up the dark, finding herself again!

If I’ve not convinced you already, let me know, seriously! I’ll rant till my throat gets sore so you can finally watch it.

ciao till the paranormal entity visits me again,

Naya