Thoughts on the movie 'Begin Again'

We went to see 'Begin Again' this afternoon.  Wikipedia describes it as a 'musical romantic comedy-drama' which pretty much covers the bases that this film touches -- I would only add that it's a 'New York' movie.

'Begin Again' movie poster.

Keira Knightly is Greta, a British song writer stuck in New York when her rock star boyfriend (Adam Levine) two-times her.  She's discovered by Dan, a record producer who's on the skids (Mark Ruffalo), at an open-mike organized by Greta's British friend, Steve (James Corden), in a dive bar.  Dan's estranged from Violet, his 14-year-old daughter (Hailee Steinfeld) and his former wife, Miriam (Catherine Keener), who's a pop-music journalist.  Dan assembles an unlikely back-up ensemble for Greta and they proceed to 'begin again'.

The performances are wonderful -- especially Knightly's spunky, vulnerable Greta and Ruffalo's depressed, disheveled Dan, but also Corden's raffish, positive Steve and Steinfeld's confused, aloof Violet.  There's an hilarious cameo from CeeLo Green basically as a version of himself.  New York City is a vibrant presence throughout.

The editing is sometimes sloppy and the time frames are sketchy.  The big romance in the movie is the one between all of the characters and the music business.  It's a nice change of pace to a season of generally lackluster films.