Can a song save your life? That was the question posed in “Begin Again,” John Carney’s followup to the beloved indie musical “Once.” That film, formerly titled “Can A Song Save Your Life?” wasn’t so hot, but a more authentic version of the same kind of story and organizing principle is realized in “Song One.”
Starring Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, Mary Steenburgen and Ben Rosenfield, “Song One” is set in the singer-songwriter music scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and is about a young woman (Hathaway) who strikes up a unlikely relationship with her ailing brother’s favorite musician. The movie features original songs written by Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice and features live performances by musicians like Sharon Van Etten, The Felice Brothers, Dan Deacon, Paul Whitty, Naomi Shelton and Elizabeth Ziman. Here’s our review from Sundance, and here’s the movie’s official synopsis:
Oscar® winner Anne Hathaway (INTERSTELLAR, LES MISERABLES) 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, BOARDWALK EMPIRE) 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 (THE HELP) and features original music composed by Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice, and live performances from Sharon Van Etten, The Felice Brothers, Dan Deacon, Paul Whitty, Naomi Shelton and Elizabeth Ziman.
Written and directed by Kate Barker-Froyland, “Song One” will sing its way into theaters and on demand on January 23rd. Watch the new trailer, a clip from the film courtesy of Vulture and some new photos below.
