Eight months after Conor Masterson’s film about The Frames, Oscar-winning songwriter Glen Hansard again finds himself under scrutiny in this poignant exploration of his relationship with Once co-star and collaborator Marketa Irglova.
Chronicling the couple’s life after the phenomenon of Once, The Swell Season doesn’t overly concern itself with the chronological events and seminal moments. Instead, directors Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins and Carlo Mirabella-Davis paint an intimate portrait of the deep connection shared by Hansard and Irglova, and explores how their romance began to unravel during their frenetic post-Oscars world tour.
Featuring interviews and fly-on-the-wall footage of the couple’s increasingly fraught intimacies, the directors capture the psychological complexity of both subjects without explicitly revealing too much. Though grizzled veteran Hansard claims to be ambivalent about fame, his personal insecurities suggest a need for validation. Revelations about his relationship with his alcoholic father provide a fresh insight into Hansard’s personality.
In contrast, Irglova is painted as a quiet but forceful young woman thrust into an intense situation. Just 19 when she began dating the 37 year old Hansard, Irglova’s struggle is one of independence and self-discovery. She slowly realizes that neither fame nor the complex Hansard can fulfil her.
Shot in black and white, the directors brilliantly illustrate the emotional journey with appropriately selected tour footage. We see Hansard’s performances grow more aggressive, while Irglova heartbreakingly pleads “Please try to be patient and know that I’m still learning.”
Though lacking some back story and context, this tender and honest exploration of love, loss and disillusionment yields a wealth of emotional complexity.