BELIEVE IN LOVE THIS ONCE.

Byline: Glenn Whipp

Film Critic

Early on in the hugely appealing musical love story "Once," we come upon an Irish busker (Glen Hansard) plying his trade on a near-deserted Dublin street. It's late. We see only the singer. But he's pouring his heart -- or what's left of it -- into his song, a song he wrote and never sings during the busier daylight hours because he fears people won't like it.

The song, of course, was written for a girl. When asked about her, the singer says, "I'm over her." "Rubbish," is the reply -- a correct assessment. Later, the 30ish singer (known in the movie only as Guy) maintains he used to have a romantic streak but now is just a cynical old man. No one calls him on this, but that statement is rubbish, too.

"Once" is a deeply romantic, delicately told story about love and hope, chance meetings and profound connections. It is a musical in the sense that its two main characters are both musicians, and they often share through their songs the things that would normally go unsaid. That the songs -- mostly written by Hansard, leader of the Irish rock band the Frames -- are beautiful and brilliant certainly helps the film's cause, as does the fact that the songs are general enough to stand on their own without being connected to the movie or its characters.

As for the characters, there are essentially two. The Guy and the young woman who calls him on his self-delusion, known only as (yes) Girl (Marketa Irglova). She hears him singing one of his original songs and, upon learning that his day job is fixing vacuum cleaners in his dad's repair shop, shows up the next day with her disabled Hoover.

For a meet-cute, it's awfully sweet and, like everything in John Carney's beautiful film, feels completely unforced. The Girl is a young immigrant from the Czech Republic, sells roses by day and shares with Guy a complete passion for music. A friendship blooms and an intimacy soon follows -- not physical intimacy, but spiritual.

As for love, both have complications in their lives as well as a bedrock fatalism when it comes to the odds of happiness.

Pragmatically recognizing life's hardships while romantically yearning for something more gives "Once" a quintessentially Irish flavor, as well as a poignancy that's both hard-edged and heartfelt.

You root for this Guy and Girl, as individuals and as a team.

Hansard, previously seen in a small role in "The Commitments," has sad, soulful eyes and a relaxed charisma that commands the eye. His pairing with 17-year-old newcomer Irglova turns out to be an inspired match. Both actors bring aspects of strength and vulnerability to their lonely characters who, through sharing their songs, come to find a greater sense of themselves and life's possibilities. "Once" is one of the more affecting love stories to come along in years.

Glenn Whipp, [phone]

[e-mail]

ONCE - Three and one half stars

(R: language)

Starring: Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova.

Director: John Carney.

Running time: 1 hr. 28 min.

Playing: Arclight in Hollywood. Expands May 25 in select cities.

In a nutshell: Deeply romantic musical love story about chance meetings and profound connections.

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Glen Hansard's Guy and Marketa Irglova's Girl bond over a shared love of music -- and meet again via a broken vacuum cleaner -- in "Once."