I’ve watched John Carney’s (Begin Again, Sing Street) Once in its entirety three times. I saw it in 2007 during its theatrical run. I saw it another time between that and my 2024 rewatch. I have felt myself connecting with it less with each subsequent viewing, yet appreciating it more. What is ironic is that when I first saw the film, it felt like an original masterpiece, and I don’t feel that anymore. Perhaps that was because I needed to see more movies that followed a fairly generic formula. Or maybe it was because I’ve seen too many films that have followed that blueprint, making Once feel less original than I initially thought. As I write this review, I try to balance that original perception against how I react to the film 14 years later.