I had some difficulty following the dialogue and therefore some of the particulars in this movie.
Did the Guy buy the Girl the piano, or do we just not know? Do we assume she purchased it or somehow her family acquired it? It was just there at the end of the movie, the Guy has a big smile on his face, and she seems to be thinking of him as it ends. Anybody have an answer?
If you're talking about the ending scenes (Spoilers):
I believe he purchased it for her. If I remember correctly, he went back to that music shop and gifted it to her. He probably didn't even have to leave any note for her either. She would instantly understand where it came from. And I think her looking out the window means she was definitely thinking of the Guy, and how mutually grateful she was to have met him.
It was a very beautiful ending too with the use of a crane shot. Almost all of the movie was filmed from the ground level, and now we have this moment where both the music and the camera gives us this immense, soaring feeling.
Hah, funny thing - I just found this thread where Once is referenced in The Simpsons (a clip is included):
https://moviechat.org/tt0907657/Once/58c7943193cef4080d8e395b/Once-reference-in-The-Simpsons
And it has the original actors doing the cameo, and it does mention the Guy buying the Girl the piano. Assuming this bit has to go through their approval, I think it's safe to say the Guy definitely bought it for her at the end.
Yes.
He stopped by the music store and called the guy over to the back to talk to him about something.
We're to believe he used some of the money his father gave him to buy her that piano.
This is all very cool. But from what I remember from the movie, he was a broke street busker, so how he managed this, plus the physical reality of moving a Piano into an upstairs apartment ... it all seems like an expensive proposition, and he didn't seem like he had the resources.
But it's nit-picking. I have nothing against a fairy-tale ending, but I like a film to have it's own integrity, that what happens within it makes sense. YMMV.
Like I said, his father gave him money to set him up in London so he wouldnt struggle to live.
There's a scene between them to that effect prior to him stopping by the music store.
He used that money to buy her a piano instead. Now he'll have to scrape by again once he gets where he's going.
Then that's pretty cool.
He'd rather be selfless, give up his largess to be generous to someone he obviously loves, even if it's unconsummated.
Rather profound.