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| Anne Hathaway stars in Song One (Courtesy of The Film Arcade) |
One Note and a Coma
Rotten Tomatoes Plot: Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway stars as Franny in SONG ONE, a romantic drama set against the backdrop of Brooklyn's vibrant modern-folk music scene. After Franny's musician brother Henry (Ben Rosenfield) is injured and hospitalized in a coma following a car accident, Franny returns home after a long estrangement and begins to use his notebook as a guide to how his life has evolved in her absence. Franny seeks out the musicians and artists Henry loved, in the course of her journey meeting James Forester (Johnny Flynn), his musical idol, whose success and fame belie a shy and private man. As a strong romantic connection develops between Franny and James, the question becomes if love can bloom even under the most adverse circumstances. The film also stars Oscar-winner Mary Steenburgen and features original music composed by Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice.
Steenburgen remarks early on, "It's all about music for him (Henry)" but truth be told, the same could be said for director/writer Kate Barker-Froyland. Her feature debut is chock-full of songs... live and on YouTube. Too many for me, I'm afraid; although Flynn is a joy to watch and listen to. Ditto for Hathaway, whose smile melts my heart every time. Unfortunately, the movie goes nowhere, spending way too much time in a hospital room (coma = boring) and featuring little sizzle on the romantic end. If you like modern-folk music, you might love it; but me, not so much.
Grade: C
Song One opens Friday at the West End Cinema. Click here for showtimes, and to purchase tickets.
