4. Can A Song Save Your Life?
Grade: A-My Take: I hadn't planned on seeing Can a Song Save Your Life?, but when some other screenings fell through, I decided to give John Carney's film a shot, and I'm certainly glad I did. Irish director Carney first came to prominence with his critically acclaimed indie flick, Once, about two struggling Irish musicians who form a meaningful bond with one another through playing music. If Once was an artful indie debut album, then Can a Song Save Your Life?, starring Mark Ruffalo and Kiera Knightley, is the band's first full fledged studio album. Glossier, better production values, and more mainstream, there will be many (and if you read some of the reviews coming out of Toronto, this has already happened) who will declare the film a cheap sentimental sell out. They will say that Once was real and personal while Can a Song Save a Life? is an over-sacchrinated piece of fluff meant to manipulate the heartstrings of the masses. I could not disagree more with this. While Once was a good movie, it was a little too self-conscious of its "indie-ness". Can a Song Save Your Life? however goes for broke, embracing its cinematic nature to its full extent. The result is a beautiful celebration of music (as well as New York City) that, unless your utterly attached to 21-Century hipster detachment, is hard to resist. For the scene of Ruffalo and Knightley walking through the streets of the city to the sounds of Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life" alone, this movie deserves a multitude of laurels.
Oscar Prospects: Although the film proved quite the surprise sensation in Toronto, starting a bidding war that was won by the Weinstein Co., the film won't be receiving any Oscar nominations for the 2014 ceremony. This is due to the Weinsteins' plan to hold off on releasing the film until 2014, making it ineligible for this year's race. As for next year's Oscars, the film could conceivably sneak its way into a category or two (particularly Best Song), but with a planned Spring release, the new season for indies without enough gravitas to make an immediate impact on the awards circuit, it's not very likely. Just ask France Ha, A Place Beyond the Pines, and Spring Breakers how that Spring release strategy works for indies trying to break into the awards circuit.