Once

Music video masquerades as heart-on-sleeve narrative featuring a charismatic, if musically limited and redundant, Glen Hansard of the Irish rock band the Frames. Guy (Hansard) carries a torch for his absent girlfriend while he busks the streets of Dublin. Enter cute Czech immigrant pianist girl (Marketa Irglova) to give Guy the musical boost he needs to make a recording. “Once” works as an overlong mood piece, but its strictly predictable story, and whiny songs, bring into relief the music video sequences on display.

Rated R. 88 mins. (C+) (Two Stars)