Review: ‘Tonight You’re Mine’ is a ‘Once’ wannabe
“Tonight You’re Mine,” set at (and filmed during) Scotland’s largest outdoor rock festival, T in the Park, is a “Once”-like attempt at mixing simple romance, off-the-cuff charm and music.
When preening American frontman Adam (Luke Treadaway), one-half of a hipster electronic duo, is accidentally handcuffed to Morello, the cheeky lead singer of a punk-lite all-girl band (a frisky, appealing Natalia Tena), it’s not hard to figure out what the refrain of this meet-cute two-hander is going to sound like.
But there’s atmospheric verve in director David Mackenzie and writer Thomas Leveritt setting such a romcom-rote scenario among the colors, sounds and textures of a days-long bacchanal complete with carnival rides, camping tents and acres of muddy fields. When the threadbare story falters, the world around these characters retains some interest.
If only the falling-in-love machinations and character details weren’t so wispy, “Tonight You’re Mine” might have had more resonance. That said, the film has its moments: a scene in which Adam takes advantage of his proximity to Morello’s keyboard during her band’s performance is truly electric, a real taste of this otherwise modest movie’s best creative impulses.
“Tonight You’re Mine.” MPAA rating: R for language and some sexual material. Running time: 1 hour, 20 minutes. At the Nuart Theatre, West Los Angeles.
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