August Rush - Review

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Length: 113 min

Rated: PG

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Release Date: 2007-11-21

Starring: Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard, Mykelti Williamson, William Sadler

Directed by Kirsten Sheridan

Produced by Richard Barton Lewis

Written by Nick Castle, James V. Hart

Visit the movie's Official Site!

Reviewed by Rafe Telsch : 2007-11-27 01:34:37

August Rush is one of those rare movies that made me dislike it, then won be back over before the end credits roll. It’s not common to see a movie accomplish that roller-coaster ride that turns me away from the picture and then picks me back up, but somehow the story manages it and left me a giddy, sappy mess by the end.

The odd title of the movie comes from the lead character: a young orphan who sneaks away from the orphanage to find his real parents. The kid is convinced that he is still connected to his parents through a mysterious tune that comes to him through just about anything that makes sound, so he sneaks away from the orphanage and into the big city, where he is “adopted” by Wizard (Robin Williams), the leader of a collection of street performing children. Wizard sees the child’s gift for music, which he wants to use for his own personal gain. He renames the kid “August Rush,” and tries to manage the kid’s career. Meanwhile, fate is reuniting August’s biological parents, a concert cellist (Keri Russell) and a rock musician (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who actually only got together for one night eleven years ago; the night when August was conceived.

As a film that theorizes about a unifying theme in music, August Rush has a bit of a surreal edge to it. The movie breaks occasionally from narrative storytelling to reveal the music that comes from August’s world in slightly surreal editing. It’s slightly gimmicky, especially when you consider that acts like Stomp have been using everyday items for percussion sounds for years now. Oddly, as August actually starts to learn about music, these vignettes become less common. One could almost infer that the more August learns about music, the less he hears it, although I don’t think that’s the point; I think it just coincides with a need for the central story to become the primary focus. I think it could have been handled a little better though, mostly by removing some of the sequences earlier in the film. August hears this tune everywhere. We get it in the first few minutes of the movie, so hammering it home in semi-surreal sequences can be a bit obtrusive.

Of course, you can’t have a movie about music without a decent score, and August Rush’s Mark Mancini delivers one of the most intoxicating soundtracks I’ve heard in recent years. It’s a pretty tall order to ask a composer to come up with a sound for music that sounds like it connects to all humans – the music we’ve all heard somewhere in our dreams but never can truly recreate. Mancini lives up to the idea however, with one of the most intoxicating scores this year. It’s a soundtrack that felt so right, both its use in the picture and on a musical level, that I had to race out and pick up a copy. I can’t offer higher praise than that.

The big downside of the movie is that it is completely derivative. There is almost nothing in here that you’ve not seen before in almost identical stories. Child separated from parents, hoping something in the world will reunite them: An American Tail. Street urchins held together by a cruel gang-leader: Oliver Twist. The notion that some unseen “force” unifies the world: Star Wars. The talented Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland) even seems to be channeling Haley Joel Osment from about a decade ago. Just about everything in August Rush has been done before, but somehow, it still works and the deeper the movie gets, the more it draws you in to the point that you can look past the derivative nature of the film and enjoy it.

There’s no way to avoid saying it: August Rush is a “feel-good movie” with a bit of a fairy tale element with the story of the forlorn orphan seeking out his parents and finding a world of instant success along the way. Fans of sappy feel-good flicks should love it. It’s not tremendously deep, but it’s still entertaining despite the feeling that all of this has appeared before somewhere else. Even if the story lacks originality, at least the music is enjoyable.

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Kris Says:
November 27th, 2007 at 21:14
I want to to see this movie, but damn if I hadnt hoped Robin Williams character would just have been a cool, hippie mentor to August... I dont like the idea that he is cruel like Fagin in Twist... oh well.

shetawk Says:
December 2nd, 2007 at 04:10
Saw it tonight.

Yes, it's predictable but the music is great and the story flows.

Best sign, my hub didn't fall asleep. Glad I saw it.

misti Says:
December 7th, 2007 at 17:03
ive seen the movie and thought it was a little slow at first but when freddies character started playing the music instead of only hearing it it really grabbed my attention i love music and i loved the movie.

Chris Says:
December 8th, 2007 at 17:43
I first took my parents to see it and as soon as I dropped them off at home I turned around and went straight back to the movies to see it a second time. Tonight I took my kids to see it, yes for those counting 3 times and I would watch it again.

This day and age this type of weonderful inspiring movie can hardly be found. Every one of the performers in it from the little girl at church to Evan or should I say August deserves an oscar.

The way that he was able to handle the instruments with a whole new outlook was incredible and more realistic than if he had picked it up struming the actual notes.

Only a child can see the world the way August saw it. Believing that there is a way and not allowing anyone to tell him other wise.

This is a movie I will definately buy and watch over and over again. I also want to get the sound track.

My only problem was how it ended. I wish it would ahve went another 2-5 minutes longer.

I really hope that more producers pick up on how great this type of family movie without any of the underlined sexual type of tones only adults laugh at in the movies like the Penguin show where they called him "pecker face or head".

There is a few curse words in it which was always the D word and used by the street kids. I understand the reasoning behind it but I think it could have been left out. The only other thing that bothered me is how fast Wizard changed from being a great guy to being horrible and greedy. I would have liked to see his character a little more helpful in reuniting August with his parents.

Steuber Says:
December 11th, 2007 at 23:51
I saw this movie and it was absolutely amaing. i loved the theme of how music is in all of us. as a musician i loved it. sure some parts are a bit unrealistic but i really liked this movie. and thats saying something cuz im into more action flicks than the feel good movies. but this one definately took the cake as best feel good movie ive seen in years.

Willaim De Britaine Says:
December 19th, 2007 at 23:01
Fantastic movie. Music within us, is called 'Shabd'. Its what we're all created from and all the rest of the universe is too.

douglass Says:
December 26th, 2007 at 23:58
I am Seeing it for a second time tonight. While I found the story completely absurd, all sins are forgiven because the soundtrack is brilliant.
We need more films like August Rush that don't demand special effects and bloodletting to engage us for a couple of hours. Studios, are you hearing this?

Laura Says:
January 23rd, 2008 at 15:17
I adored this movie! Fortunately I listened to my screenwriter friend who raved about it instead of the soulless persons who probably never played music and write reviews. This is a wonderful & beautifully acted movie about a MUSE listener/lover who brings the spiritual world into the present world. It is a movie that somehow captures what it feels like to be a true and elevated musician in our insane modern world. It's a fairy tale for adults, and should help adults to understand those who are born and very misunderstood. Even tho I prefer acoustic, and can hardly listen to rock now (especially after 40 yr of it), I loved the soundtrack. I wholeheartedly recommend this wonderful and sorely needed visual reminder of what it is to follow the inner voice and the music of the spirit!!! we need more of this kind of artistic creation in order to counter the pessimism and errors of modern thinking which tear apart the human being. Haven't we had enough of that yet?

majdi Says:
April 30th, 2008 at 17:35
A brilliant movie with outstanding music. Never heard such amazing and inspiring music. Some parts are a bit unrealistic, but its a must watch movie... one of the best and theres nothing like it. Ill watch it again and again.

Chuck Says:
June 27th, 2008 at 15:27
this movie was amazing. my interest in the movie grew exponetially when he finally started playing music with instruments rather than just listening to it from the stars. i have not heard music quite like this before, all the beats and rhythms were just amazing. ive seen it twice and would watch it again. the story of how people are connected through music is revealed as August's mother and father perform at the same time and thier songs coincide. overall it gave me such an uplifted kind of feeling.

steve Says:
July 6th, 2008 at 13:18
Wow.. Just amazing .. I haven't seen a movie this good in a while 9/10 !! It would've been 10/10 if the ending waz just a little more. Well can't blame em. It woudve gone on and on then.

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