Director Kirsten Sheridan seems to encourage this fanciful, fairytale quality of the film. It is told from August's perspective, with all the promise of a full-mooned sky. Any plot holes in the story are skipped over by Highmore's softly-spoken narration, reminding us that this is indeed August's fairytale.
That's not to say fairytales are all sweetness and light. The performances by Keri Russell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are wonderful, and ground this fable with real emotion. I thought Terrence Howard was a little wasted as the caring child services officer Richard Jeffries, but he supported two great scenes with Russell and Highmore. The first interview Jeffries has with earnest August is absolutely remarkable. Highmore is an amazing talent. His understated performance is in direct contrast to the bombastic Robin Williams as busker and father figure Wizard.
It's not drawing too long a bow to suggest that Wizard is a reimagining of Annie's Miss Hannigan. Both run orphanages (of sorts) and are overrun not only by the children, but by their own eccentricities. Not to mention both try to adopt Annie and August for their own selfish gains. However, while Miss Hannigan is more of a caricature who takes to her gin, Wizard is a complex and sympathetic character. His attempts to harness August's prodigious talent and rescue him from the strictures of Julliard are given enough berth to not come across as entirely nutsy.
Fortunately August Rush departs from Annie and her show tunes. The music is much more instrumental (in both senses of the term), leading August to Manhattan to find his musician parents. The soundtrack is a lovely mix of classical music, indie ballads and August's own unique soundscape.
I believe in music, the way some people believe in fairytales.
August Rush is for people who believe in both.
2 comments:
So true and so beautifully written Al.
We saw August Rush squished in cattle class, hazy with post wedding emotional fuzz and sloshing with with cheap white wine in plastic cups on our way to Paris
I cried and cried and cried. Loved it- wished my hair was that curly, wished I could still play the piano, but maybe could have done without so much kooky Robin Williams.xx
Bless, Tor, you paint a great picture there! Chris once read somewhere that the atmosphere in aeroplanes makes you more emotional - particularly our menfolk. So did it get a little dusty for Andy?
I must admit I was having a fairly fragile day when I watched the film, but sometimes it's nice to have a good cry!
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