Just wanted to point out that both of the characters in that movie had already met the "love of their lives" once before and were caught by surprise at the intensity of their feelings when they thought they would never feel that again. So the title is ironic in that sense...

That's the brilliance of "Once," and of "Lost in Translation" too, though I have less outright affection for that movie. In both there are people making grudging choices to do the right thing. Now their choices aren't necessarily out of any morally stingent principles, but perhaps nonetheless are still based on commitment. And the very grudgingness and non-glamourousness of them makes them more real and more laudatory.

I don't know if their choices were really grudging though. I mean, yes, they restrained themselves and nothing happened between them physically but there was a lot of emotional stuff going on between them .... their permiscuous flirtation, I guess I'm trying to say, was glorified to a degree.

Nate, I think it’s great that you wrote a blog entry that spurs good discussion and dialogue! As far as “Once” goes: I think what I appreciated most about the film was the way it highlighted how difficult it is to make the right choices when we feel hurt or lonely, but that can and must be done.
I'm so glad others were taken by it too! Jacob and I couldn’t tell if we were enamored with the film because we knew the cast was in the audience with us, or if we just really loved the film in and of itself. We quickly decided that it was genuinely the film itself we were taken by. But man! It was SO fun to hear the two main characters and the director speak to the audience about their intentions! It sure added to the experience. They also played “falling slowly” and a few other songs for us which was a wonderful treat!!!

No, Laura, I meant their choices to do the right thing were grudging in the end, or at least I presume so. But you are right they did not necessarily guard their hearts in the best way, going right up to the edge of several lines. In my experience, I think that is pretty real too though, no?

Okay, yes, their choices to do the right thing in the end where really hard and grudging. I see what you mean.

My beef with the film is that it glorifies elusive, unobtainable love while associating commited love with drudgery and unhappiness, at least in the case of the Czech girl's marriage. Yes, this is true to life, this happens, but I feel like this is the message I'm constantly bombarded with and I guess I just get a little tired of it (though I am noticing, not that I'm a big film watcher, that the glorification of promiscuity is dying off)

To be fair, I did admire the choices they finally came to at the end of the film--that was honorable.

Right you are, Laura, there are very fewgood marriages portrayed in film. Perhaps goodness can sometimes seem boring to us fallen creatures, but more because I think that portraying goodness without sentimentality is far harder than portraying evil.

I am not incredibly knowledgeable about romantic comedies, but two very influential ones by Nora Ephron, Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail, both depicted the woman already in a relationship, which she leaves with relative ease, emotionally and otherwise, to pursue the man she has fallen in love with, though I don't really remember these movies very well. I am not sure that this is a staple of romantic comedies, but the matter of factness with which this was portrayed was a bit shocking to me when I first saw Sleepless in Seattle.

An interesting movie, that is a comedy, though perhaps not a romantic comedy, which somewhat portrays the consequences of adultery is Pushing Tin, starring Angelina Jolie, Billy Bob Thornton, and John Cusack.

OK, it is late and I am rambling, on my roommates blog no less, though I am guessing you are probably glad, Nathan, that this discussion went of on to a tangent :)

Right you are Neil...it's good to see that something I have written is actually spurring discussion. I guess what I like about the movie is the look on the girl's face at the end of the movie just after her husband picks up the his daughter...the Czech girl looks out the window with a look of contentment and satisfaction; she seems happy that things worked out the way they did. It was through this other guy that she got to use the gift of music in a real meaningful way and now he gives her an instrument to continue pursuing the gift of song...that's his offering of peace, if you will. She actually pursued him in friendship first and he helped her find this musical gift in the process...it was beautiful.
Neil, as you may know, Lost in Translation is one of my favorite movies. It think it's because they realize that their commitments to people is the right choice...they also seem content in making those choices and choosing to move forward with their loved ones...it's also a funny movie.
Thank you to Laura for your comments...very insightful. I didn't see the Czech girl's situation the way you did. I found that although her life was tough, she still had community and a husband who left his country and family to be with her and their daughter...there was a hopeful spark in her eyes at the end.
Heidi, how the hell did you get to be a part of a viewing of this movie with the real live actors/director and how can I do that for Lindsay Lohan's next movie?

Some friends of ours gave us tickets to the premiere. Whoo hoo! Lindsay Lohan's next movie. Your silly!