August Rush

From the writer of Academy Award winning director Francis Ford Coppola's epic masterpiece "Bram Stoker's Dracula" comes a modern retelling of "Oliver Twist," mixed with "Amadeus." This is an excellent family movie (aside from some mild language, thematic elements and brief violence). Freddie Highmore ("Finding Neverland," "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory") does a very good American accent and can cry on cue. Keri Russell ("Waitress") and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers are terrific. Robin Williams is menacing, but not quite a villain. Unfortunately, the movie ended too abruptly, hence the four out of five stars. Should've had a clear resolution. Other than that, I loved this movie. Rated PG for thematic elements, mild language and brief violence.

This is one of the best family films produced in recent years. Not only is the story compelling, the music is a masterful melding of classical and rock. Freddie Highmore gives a convincing performance of an "orphaned" kid in search for his parents through the music he hears. It's a fairy tale for all, especially adults!

"August Rush" will grab your heart strings .This film is put together perfect,and the music is great.Robin Williams takes a role like never before,and should have been nominated for an Oscar.This is a film the entirer family can watch together.

The bad first...
The DVD has NO REAL extras... Added scenes are really it for additional content you may appreciate. (I don't count "Scene Selection" and "Language Options" as DVD Extras...) The DVD (not the movie) is why I gave this product 4 stars...

With that said... Here is the good.

There are 147 5 star ratings for this movie... and this movie is worth more IMHO. Here is my experience with this film.

Over a 2 week period:

My wife and I caught half of this on our Tivo.

Then we recorded it and watched two more times (on our Tivo).

Then we went and bought the DVD and watched it AGAIN, and each time we were reduced to blubbering tears of happiness... (Her not me... well I was a little choked up... but not as much as her.)

So the good in this movie demonstrates much of what is missing in our world today...

Faith, that things will be OK even when things look bleak.

Commitment, even when circumstances get in the way of being dedicated to an idea, dream, or a special person.

Serendipity, when many in our world feel like nothing good will happen to them. (Though they secretly hope it will.)

And Patience... something most of us just don't ever get to see on a daily basis...

This moving is truly deserving of the "Truly Moving Picture" award on the back of the DVD.

Filled with a stylized fantasy feel and satisfying wonderful this is worth your hard earned dollars.

Enjoy it...

Watched enough of the Tudors to know JRM is a smooth skinned tour de force. I had to watch my favorite Vampire be a big brother to this conflicted musician and had to hear the music.
Robin Williams gave me the creeps, like watching something morph into something old and threatening.
Buy it for the Music, enjoy Alex as Marshall, the "up for a fight" brother.