And you thought Jimmy Buffett made an entire franchise out of one song. He did, of course. However, I feel like John Carney turned “Falling Slowly” from Once into an eight-movie deal. Was it a good song? Of course it was. Was it a good song in context? Well, it’s the kind of song which leads to people kissing a lot. And nobody kissed in Once. Not once, in fact.
This seems a cheat, romance-wise. But I have come to understand this is John Carney’s way: write the songs that make people fall in love, make people fall in love … and then pretend like romance was never an option. If you find this frustrating, welcome to my world. And in Flora and Son, it’s the cheat of all cheats — they fall in love over Zoom, pretty much guaranteeing they’ll never meet and Carney -again- never has to display a physical side of romance, not even a little.
Flora (Eve Hewson) is a hard-talkin’, hard-drinkin’, hardened Irish single mother. Her teenage son is a delinquent. We discount this because Max (Orén Kinlan) is kinda shy and nerdy, but this borderline kleptomaniac can’t get into trouble soon enough. Such is frustrating for a single parent. Such is frustrating for a non-single parent; it’s just harder on a single parent.
Flora’s ex is a musician, and the kid kinda takes after his old man, so for Max’s birthday, the penny-pinching Flora rescues a guitar from the trash and has it restored
to working order. When the kid plays ingrate, Flora takes up the instrument. I’m guessing that COVID played a hand in this film because her instructor (at $20/lesson) becomes an American from Topanga Canyon in SoCal. Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is very down-to-Earth and has little space for Flora’s antics. However, soon they reach a working relationship and before you know it, John Carney is writing romantic songs for them to song together.
I like the music of John Carney. That said, I usually like it a little more than this. I think the soundtracks for Sing Street, Begin Again, and -yes- Once were all better than this one. Which isn’t to say this film is without merit. But if you’re waiting for a couple in a John Carney movie to finally realize they’re a couple, you are going to be waiting a very long time. Carney does that with two (2) different relationships in this film. Is it me? Is part my being a hopeless romantic a desire to see a multi-dimensional romance on film? I think that’s it, honestly. I dig what you present to the world, John, but I need a little more than you offer. You’re kind of a tease.
♪I don’t know you, but I’ve seen your films
And they fall flat
For my insides get all gooey
And then the pair goes “splat”
And films that promote romance
Often lead to chance
Or *gasp* a couple’s dance
Take this bullshit hands-off coupling wow
You are in rush
We see them smiling, eyes a flutter, does
Contact make you blush?
Struggling slowly with your screenplays
What’s the use in this?
Two lovely folks, hot and bothered
Why not have them kiss? ♫
Rated R, 97 Minutes
Director: John Carney
Writer: John Carney
Genre: Non-romance romance
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: John Carney homies
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: People who need romance to include a physical aspect
♪ Parody Inspired by “Falling Slowly”
