“Your brother was in an accident. You need to come home.” So begins a journey for archaeologist Franny, played by Anne Hathaway in Song One. Franny leaves a dig in Morocco to spend time with her hospitalized brother in New York. In an effort to connect to her brother, who remains unconscious after being hit by a car, Franny plays him music, reads his journal, and visits his haunts, eventually ending up at a concert where his favorite musician is playing. She and the shaggy haired musician, James, form an immediate and palpable bond — their stolen glances and penetrating stares reveal as much, and the hand-holding and kisses that follow confirm this. There is of course a complication to this budding romance — besides Franny’s ailing brother who brought the two together — and that’s James’s imminent departure.
This appears to be a very music-centric and New York-centric movie: the trailer features plenty of singing and shots of the city. Some viewers may be disappointed that it’s James, played by Johnny Flynn, who is doing all of the singing; there’s no indication that Hathaway’s formidable pipes will be heard in the movie. On the bright side, Mary Steenburgen (The Help) costars.
Written and directed by Kate Barker-Froyland, Song One will open in theatres and on VOD January 21.
