August Rush

This is a great "feel good" movie with wonderful music and acting. I saw it on NetFlix and had to own it.

I've seen great movies without a fraction of the potential storyline of this one. The idea for this movie was great! Unfortunately, this movie wasn't. In almost every aspect of the movie, I feel the final product fell way short. The story was developed very poorly, probably made worse by poor direction and bad editing. All I know is I didn't believe any of it. I didn't understand the notoriety surrounding the mother musician; her character was never developed so one could believe in her ability. They added to the disbelief by the few times they showed Keri Russell "playing" the cello; she didn't fake it very well... they could have done that better. And I can think of a dozen of actors that have more musical ability and presence than Jonathan Rhys Meyers. He can't play, he can't sing, and the song they chose for him to "write" sucked. The actors conveyed no passion for their music or the feeling that music was really a part of them; Although I tried, I could never fool myself to believe they were musicians. August (Freddie Highmore) was more convincing, but even he was way too deadpan and passionless (except occasionally when he was playing). Robin Williams had more passion and feeling than everyone else in the movie put together, but even his character seemed fragmented and untrue. The story was developed poorly from beginning to end. This is so disappointing considering the potential this story had. The idea of music being all around us and in everything is powerful and compelling, and the idea of a prodigy like August developing and becoming public is thrilling. But this movie didn't convey these ideas well at all and was about the least powerful and compelling or thrilling movie I've seen in awhile. This movie had no ring of truth to it at all. The final production seemed rushed, superficial, disjointed, unconvincing and amateurish. Although the movie was O.K., I was very disappointed.

Safe movie to watch with anyone in the family.
Movie is very predictable, though.

Evan aka August is an orphan boy gifted with musical talents. He hears musical tones in ordinary noises all around him and feels it in his bones. This is a delightful story about how he finds his parents, two musically gifted people, who don't know his existence. Aside from the great soundtrack, the juxtaposing of classical cello and electric guitar, and the riffs Evan/August creates on his guitar, there is also the poignant searching of Evan for his parents, and later his mother for him, and his father for his mother. The three souls are joined and connected through music. This is definitely a movie that you can watch over and over again, because of the freshness of the music, and rooting for the orphan to find his parents despite his circumstances.

For all those who think this movie was about music, or another orphaned "Oliver Twist"-- YOU HAVE ALL MISSED THE POINT! This movie is the best depiction of a life being led by the Spirit of God that resides in all of us. A life pregnant with giftedness, purpose, and brilliance, as I believe all of our lives are. This movie beautifully depicts what can happen when you cut through fear, doubt, sadness, feelings of abandonment or unworthiness or whatever negative cloud that tends to hover over our lives as humans, If we can defeat those spiritual enemies and approach life with the faith and innocence of a child as Jesus suggested, allowing ourselves to be guided by the truth and wisdom that God placed in us upon our conception and embrace our divine giftedness, we would all see miraculous and unimaginable things happen in our lives! This movie showed the mother, father and child listening to and following their intuition (which I believe is the voice of God)and allowing themselves to be led to the life God desired for them. If anyone is low on faith, or has trouble understanding what being in relationship to The Father actually looks like, THERE IS NO OTHER MOVIE FOR YOU! and those, (like me) who periodically need to be reminded of the glorious and awesome nature of God's love-- this movie is one for the collection.