One More Time gives insight into the has beens

One More Time has great acting from Amber Heard and Christopher Walken, a fantastic soundtrack and a fresh take on the tried but true theme of a hectic family. The movie’s focus is sometimes cloudy, but not enough to distract the viewer from the mostly well-developed relationships in the movie.

The movie follows Jude Lombard, played by Heard, coming to live with her father after feeling unsatisfied by her unfulfilling singing career and turbulent life. This doesn’t exactly help her situation, however, as she has to deal with the myriad complications at her father’s house. This includes her successful and stable sister, Corinne, played by Kelli Garner; her new stepmom, Lucille, played by Ann Magnuson, who represents just another unsuccessful marriage waiting to happen; and last but certainly not least, her father, Paul, played by Walken, who is a famous Sinatra-like singer whose glory days are behind him.

Heard’s performance as Jude is wonderful. It’s admittedly typical of what to expect with a hipster character such as hers, but she plays it well. Everything from Jude’s snarky comments and eye-rolls down to her difficulty in coming to terms with the major self-destructive tendencies in her life all seem authentic coming from Heard.

She does especially well in scenes with Walken. The rocky relationship between Jude and Paul feels authentic and fresh, and is a definite highlight of the movie. There are many moments during the movie where it doesn’t feel like two actors putting emotion behind lines that they didn’t write, but it rather feels like a wounded daughter and an insecure father trying to develop a working relationship that keeps suffering from each other’s inability to grow up.

Walken seems like a natural fit for the role of Paul. His performance is very reserved, to the point where it’s off-putting at first, but it becomes more and more believable as the movie progresses. Walken’s ability to play a former star that is trying to stay relevant in the world of music can be seen as a parallel to his own life, since his days as a star are seemingly behind him. His insecurities and knack for pushing those who are close to him away are explored through his relationships, which comes across as natural on screen. It’s uncharacteristic to see Walken in a role like this, but he does a good job with it. The biggest surprise from this performance, however, is his ability to sing.

The movie puts an emphasis on the music, and it’s a fantastic choice that the movie ultimately benefits from. Walken sings a couple of numbers in the movie, including a duet with Heard, who sings a few numbers herself. Both have great voices that are true to their characters. Walken croons about love and new chances, while Heard has a folksy sound. Music plays an interesting role for the characters, both being a source of unhappiness and joy. Paul owes his fortune to his career, but his family has suffered for it.

This presents itself in a number of ways in the movie. The most notable is with his daughter, Jude, who struggles with her own music career because she doesn’t want to become famous on account of who her dad is. She and her sister also have to deal with the consequences of having a famous singer for a dad, which has affected them since their childhood and continues to in the present day. Corinne also suffers, despite being more successful than Jude, as she doesn’t get as much attention from her dad as her sister does. While it is interesting, this plot point seems to lose steam the more the movie goes on, and it is never truly wrapped up. Regardless, this fresh take on a dysfunctional family feels fresh and pays more attention to the influence a father has over his children’s lives and how his actions not only have consequences for him, but for everyone around him as well.

One More Time doesn’t tie up all of the loose ends as it unravels, but it is a heartwarming, modern take on how even a dysfunctional family is an invaluable support system. Heard and Walken play their roles well enough to be remembered hours after the credits have rolled, and the soundtrack is both enjoyable to listen to and plays a key role in the film. It’s a good indie movie for those who are looking for an emotional journey with a powerful tone.