Once…more – Can Begin Again recapture the magic?

Musical drama Begin Again premieres in Baton Rouge with a special screening hosted by the Louisiana International Film Festival this Thursday, June 26 at 7 p.m. at Cinemark Perkins Rowe. lifilmfest.org

Irish film director John Carney—former bassist for The Frames, the band from whence his Once star Glen Hansard sheepishly came—burst out of obscurity in 2006 with the low-budget, Dublin-set musical drama about the halting love affair of a frustrated musician and an shy immigrant with a golden voice.

One moment pensive and lilting, the next profanely emotional from every single pore, Once and its Oscar-winning soundtrack made fawning hearts out of everyone from Steven Spielberg to Bob Dylan. Though it has been seven years since this breakout success, the authentically simple and steadfast power of that film should still be enough to make Carney’s new effort, Begin Again, more than worth a look.

Sincerity isn’t exactly sexy in Hollywood, but that is what Carney does best—besides crafting electrifying musical moments even in the quietest of scenes—so it will be interesting to see if he can emulate Once‘s draw, this time with actual star power.

Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley lead this ensemble that also includes Catherine Keener, True Grit‘s up-and-comer Hailee Steinfeld and music stars Mos Def, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine. Ruffalo plays an ousted record executive on a bender who careens into Knightley, a young woman fresh to New York and newly single—just dumped by her skyrocketing rock star boyfriend (a typecast Levine). They decide to pool their sorrows into a work of art and record an entire album on the cheap in different (and very public) parts of the city. Yes, that’s Knightley actually singing.

From the trailer alone it is evident that John Carney with Hollywood stars feels a lot like Cameron Crowe. But if he can manage to capture the same off-the-cuff charm of Once this time around without simply covering the same tune, fans should be happy for him to play it again.

Watch the trailer below: