“August Rush”
Rating: ★★★
August Rush is the kind of movie that so wholeheartedly believes in its characters and its story that it asks that any kind of disbelief not only be merely suspended, but expelled into oblivion. There exists such a thing as good sentimentality and bad sentimentality and if it is said that good sentimentality depends on having its heart in the right place, the movie boldly takes that idea literally and sets itself to the very thing our heartbeat constantly, naturally dictates: music. “I believe in music the way some people believe in fairy tales,” the hero says in the opening and this story is a real fairy tale for music lovers.
Obviously, not all music lovers may have the musical prodigy’s talent of orphan Evan Taylor (Freddie Highmore) but they will relate to his fundamental conviction that music will always be heard by someone. In Evan’s case, it is that his biological parents who were also musicians will hear him if he plays and he will be reunited with them through the power of music. That is also just how his parents, Lyla (Keri Russell) and Louis (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) met and fell in love at first sight (namely by the song, “Moondance,” which is one of my favorite tunes).
Things fell apart after they were together for only one night, however, as we see Lyla’s father, Thomas (William Sadler) forcing his will upon her to go to Juilliard and concentrate on becoming a professional cellist. Then, of course, she is pregnant after that brief encounter with Louis, who is a lead rock guitarist and singer for a small band, and Thomas says that she must give the baby up. After an ensuing fight with her father, she gets hit by a car and is told that the baby died, though in reality, Thomas gave Evan up for adoption in order to keep her focused on her career.
The movie’s first act cuts back between Evan as an 11-year old boy ostracized by his peers for his belief in music and Lyla and Louis’ bittersweet encounter until Evan decides to run away to New York City and really find his parents. Following wherever he hears any kind of a beat, he soon runs into a young street musician, Arthur (Leon G. Thomas III) in
If that story outline sounds familiar, that is because you’ve read the Charles Dickens classic, Oliver Twist, which this story liberally follows with the central, coveted skill being making music instead of pick-pocketing. That extends all the way to how Evan occasionally depends on the kindness of strangers such as Reverend James (Mykelti Williamson) who uses his connections to send him to Juilliard at his young age. The director, Kirsten Sheridan and her writers, Nick Castle, James V. Hart and Paul Castro add an extra wrinkle to their story to show how musical talent is too often abused just as a natural resource is exploited unnaturally and convey how something innate should be nurtured, not subjugated. And all of this is mightily helped by Mark Mancina’s delicately orchestrated score that sweeps without being overbearing.
Of course, I am aware of all the small and large coincidences and happenstances that unite all these characters together and the all too apparent implication of the fact that Evan can play a guitar as someone would a cello. But it is hard to criticize a movie that has the courage to have its characters say sincere lines like “Music is the harmonic connection that connects all human beings.” The actors deserve much of the credit for playing their roles with such open warmth, particularly Freddie Highmore, who, at 15, still looks incredibly baby-faced and creates an effortlessly engaging center in the story.
Meanwhile, Keri Russell’s doe-eyed sadness works to express what typical melodramatic dialogue given to seeking mothers cannot and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers injects much gravitas of regret and longing while doing his own singing (no doubt both males and females will each have a character to swoon over). Another key presence is a social worker played by the always reliable Terrence Howard and, for once, it is nice to see such a character portrayed in a positive light and seen as actually caring for the child. I especially liked the exchange in the beginning between him and Highmore who asks if he can learn how to whistle.
It goes without saying that any small dose of cynicism should be checked at the door. But the movie would come off as merely hokey if it shied away from really declaring its own expression of love for music. The filmmakers treat August Rush as they would a grand symphony with broad conducting strokes and those who know that music quintessentially plays to the heart and not to the mind will be swept up by it.
2 comments:
i am soooo disappointed with ending of this film. Great movie until the end. Richard Barton Lewis really dropped the ball on the finally. Time many loose ends with a narated quote. " music is everywhere you have to listen" what about the mother explaining to her son how they where separated or arresting "the Wizzard" his realizing he met his son in the park. aw the list goes on. Harable ending. We will never support any movies executive producted by Richard Barton Lewis. we are all just discusted.
@ronald,, august just wanted to be found,, =D and i thnk that is the best ending,, he was found,,,
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