Movies about fictitious musicians are a pretty big gamble for me. While biopics offer some true info if nothing else, the fiction pics don't even guarantee a single hit song. Their plots don't have a lot of variety, and some have little in the way of progression. As popular as Once was, I found it dull; as popular as Inside Llewyn Davis was, I found it numbing (and not in the Pink Floyd comfortable way).
BA, from the same director as Once, gets off to an unpromising start. Gretta's (Keira Knightley) opening song has a fine tune and lyrics but a lackluster presentation. Then we have a couple time jumps for background, which I failed to recognize as such until they made their way to the first scene. Gretta lags behind her partner-boyfriend in success and then breaks up with him in both senses. Meanwhile, drunk, divorced, deadbeat studio exec Dan (Mark Ruffalo in perhaps his least attractive role) gives teen Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) far more reason than usual to feel embarrassed by her father.
Fortunately, this is not a story about people going nowhere except maybe downward.
Dan still has a good ear, both for existing talent and for how to spice up a song with instruments and backup vocals. My favorite scene, in fact, takes place largely in his intoxicated mind. And since his career has reached its nadir, he'll take unprofessional, even illegal chances to advance his vision (his...audio?). Only her own desperation could get Gretta to give this guy the time of day. Not to worry; there's no hint of romantic tension between them.
Every risk pays off, at least where the music is concerned -- both for the characters' success and for our enjoyment. The Oscar-nominated number merits the nomination. I won't bother to seek out the soundtrack, but it sounds pleasant enough, constantly enough, to make the simple story worth a viewing. After the initial setup, anyway.
As music fiction goes, it's about par. Which slightly beat my expectations.
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