Recently dumped by her songwriting-partner/boyfriend, Gretta (Kiera Knightley) gets a fresh start when she befriends a recently fired music studio exec (Mark Ruffalo), and the two begin to make music on their own terms.

This light comedy about fresh starts and fresh music is a fun, enjoyably sappy ode to do-it-yourself creativity. Begin Again has a solid collection of original songs, most sung by Kiera Knightley herself (who knew she could sing?), and the chemistry between her and Ruffalo make the film pop.

The movie’s overly sappy and it wanders a bit, but Begin Again is a delightful and refreshing story for anyone who loves music, or a tale of entrepreneurial creativity.

Begin Again is rated R for language. Unfortunately, the film is full of it. So even though the story might scream “family-friendly,” the movie’s just too full of R-rated language for younger viewers to join in. 

© Matt Tory, 2014.