directed by Kristen Sheridan
starring Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
August Rush is a musical prodigy living in a foster home when he heads to New York to look for his parents. He hears music everywhere he goes and knows that the music is going to bring his parents to him.
Q Says:
this is a sweet and heart-warming little movie. VERY sweet, like syrupy-sweet. kinda like eating a spoonful of sugar with a sugar chaser.
music is a very important part of my life so i love the movie’s whole “music is a powerful force that can bring this separated family back together” aspect. i feel that music SHOULD be that important and strong. i also appreciate the use of music in the movie. the back and forth blending of the songs played by the characters is very well done and at times this movie FEELS like a musical. it also feels like a bad movie of the week at times with the over-the-top dramatic acting and dialogue. however, there are some good moments, like the scene with august “hearing” the music of the city. it is one of my favourites. the other would be when august plays guitar with his dad and doesn’t even know it.
the hands-down best part of the movie is freddie highmore. he is absolutely adorable and endearing. without him anchoring the movie, it just wouldn’t work at all. you believe that he can really hear the music and he gives august a sense of lost wonderment that some other child actors probably couldn’t pull off.
the most interesting actor here is robin williams as “the wizard”. you get the sense that he’s just about to go into a typical “robin williams” diatribe but it quickly turns menacing and angry. this isn’t your friendly williams that you would find in say “aladdin”.
the main fault i have is with the pacing of the film. supposedly it took place over the course of 6 months but it only seemed as though a few days had passed. it would have been a little better for me if it followed a little more straight forward timeline.
finally, being a parent and seeing this movie now makes it a little more compelling. it made me care about the 3 of them to finding each other a little more than the first time i saw it.
overall, though i think it is way too saccharin and syrupy, i still like it. i would maybe watch this again in a few years or so.
L Says:
I'm going to admit that his movie is a bit corny. Okay, maybe a lot corny. But, I love it just the same. The whole movie is about music and the power it has to bring people together. August Rush is a special little boy who hears music everywhere. In the wind, on a basketball court, in the big city and in his heart. He truly believes that the music will reunite him with his parents.
Freddie Highmore as August is A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E. I want to scoop him up out of the streets, save him from "Wizard" and take him home. It's probably best that I don't though, since he ends up going to Juilliard. He is so sweet and naive. August is a true optimist who knows his parents are out there and if they could just hear the music, they would find him. Some scenes are a touch heartbreaking. Such as when, "Wizard" exploits August's talent to make money for himself and threatens him into playing in Washington Square. "Wizard" is like a music pimp. Living off the money all his little "stars" make on the streets. Robin Williams plays "Wizard" with his usual over the top style. Go big or go home, right? I don't think I've ever seen Williams do subtle.
Johnathan Rhys Meyers plays Louis, August's rock star dad. Louis is lost. A part of him died the day Lyla, August's mom, left. He quits his band, starts working in an office, but can never forget the one night he had with the beautiful cellist on the rooftop. And little does he know, but their one-time union resulted in pregnancy and ultimately, the birth of August. Keri Russell plays Lyla and I think she has some real talent in her. She, like everyone else in this movie, is lost. She has believed for the past 11 years that her unborn child died in an accident. Lyla is a blend of great loss and a touch of hope. Once she finds out that her son is alive, she begins to look for him, proclaiming that she "has always wanted him". Russell's character, for me, was a big driving force for the movie. Maybe it's because I am a mother now and understand how she feels.
The music is another major player. It really makes the movie. Mark Mancini sets the tone with his original music. This is one of a few movies that I bought the soundtrack for after seeing it. I can relive some of my favorite moments just by listening. My hands down, favorite moment, is at the end. August breaks free of "Wizard" and arrives just in time to conduct his Rhapsody in Central Park. LylaLyla's name on it, jumps out of the cab and starts running for the park. (I know this is long, but bear with me) Lyla is slowly making her way to the stage when Louis shows up. She doesn't see him. He is just to the right of her, but he sees her. She is so transfixed by the music and it shows on her face. She continues walking toward the stage and Louis follows, never taking his eyes off her. Lyla reaches the stage, and she knows she just knows, that that is her son up there. Louis slips in next to her, takes her hand. She looks down and then up and sees him. It makes my heart swell. And, then, August turns around, and there they are. The music brought them to him! Cue tears.
This is a great movie with an excellent cast. I suggest you see it or at least listen to the soundtrack, which had an Oscar nominated song (Raise It Up) AND a Grammy nominated album. I would watch this again, in fact I think I am going to go watch it after writing this blog. Or, at least listen to the soundtrack.
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