Begin Again - film review

Pets need to be very loveable to lick you all over the face without resistance or demur. I wanted to say “Stop!” in early scenes of Begin Again, which positively slather their charm. Keira Knightley sings sad songs in a no-makeup waif look. Mark Ruffalo plays the adorably tousled, dressed-to-the-zeros record producer who “befriends” her. They put together an album of open-air recordings, with James Corden, Keira’s street busker pal, helping and with New York (so good they don’t need to name it once) providing the perfect backdrop, a hipster’s urban paradise. The film is a fairy tale: sentimental but enjoyable if you put a few protective fingers in front of your face to avoid being slurped to death.