MovieChat Forums > August Rush (2007) Discussion > i hate to bring people down to earth, bu...

i hate to bring people down to earth, but..

posted 15 years ago by robbie_stanleysmith
123 replies | jump to latest

i'm not a particularly cynical or critical reviewer. I routinely forgive films for presenting unrealistic situations for the purpose of drama. I totally forgive the minor elements which other reviewers have been criticising (11 year old August not having been adopted; being able to hitchhike to new york, meet a black minister and enrol at the juilliard with no identification whatsoever without being turned in to the police). However, I have to fundamentally disagree with the the message this film puts forth. Music is not some kind of magical spirit, like the Force, which some of us possess more of, and therefore can instinctively know how to conduct a symphony orchestra after playing the guitar. Musical ability is much like any other skill or craft; it takes dedication, time and practice, which result in the reward of improvement. It is an insult to any musician to suggest that anyone could sail into the juilliard with no effort on their innate 'musical talent'. I know that this has been exaggerated for dramatic purposes in the film, but the premise is nonsense. Musical ability is in my opinion almost totally due to a persons environment (how much they listen to and practice music), and the 'natural talent' which musicians are supposedly born with and which non musicians envy is almost negligible.
Some people have said that this film inspires people to take up music, but i think that it portrays music so fancifully and in such a fairy-tale way that when those people realise that learning a musical instrument takes hard work, they will be more disappointed and disenchanted with music. In a way, it alienates musicians from non musicians by portraying talented musicians as magicians.
Your thoughts (im particularly interested to hear from other musicians)

[–] mark-hansen11 10 years ago

Well, some people also need hard work and dedication to become an online douche who doesn't know what he's talking about...

But then there are others like you who are just a natural.

[–] anand-capri 10 years ago

Watched this today and wish I had read your review first. The the only REAL thing about this movie is the bad acting and juvenile direction. Such a massive turn-off when actors who play musicians' parts don't even remotely do any justice.

[–] boudicea1967 9 years ago

August was a prodigy and we are led to believe that since both his parents were musicians, it is presumed that his talent came from that. Mozart was one.

I understand why you said what you did because things like this generally do not happen and yes, it was a bit difficult to swallow the details like you mentioned such as hitchhiking, getting into Julliard, etc. However, I do not think this movie was made to get people interested in music and yes, all the events take place in ways that we know would be difficult or impossible, but this is not really based on reality regarding the situation and story. Some things happen such as finding a long lost relative, beating odds when it seems everything is stacked against them, finding a lost love that after many years later you realize that you love and it works out. These things do happen to real people.

Music can be whatever someone wants it to me, as a poet, I hear the notes being played and it sets some mood. I hear lyrics and know that sometimes it is telling a story or making a statement or bring attention to something that needs attention. I have often thought of talented people were similar to, and don't laugh, people who understand algebra in that they can "see" it. Maybe that concept is hard to understand but the analogy is the same. I could learn to play the notes to any given tune and over time can become disciplined and maybe play it well, but I lack something that many musicians have, to me they are just notes but to a musician they are expressions of passion, disappointments, betrayal, love and heroism in such a way that it makes the music alive like a living being and it provokes something inside of the listeners. I could never do that because that is something I lack.

Also, at least this is how I feel about it, there are times when people just want to see something remarkable happen real or not. Music was a part of this movie, but it also stayed in the background and served it's purpose. Even though we all know fairy tales do not really exist, it's nice to pretend every once and a while. Movies such as this are probably made so that people can hope that something good will happen to them, or at least give the illusion of it. I know it may sound out there but sometimes fairy tales need to be believed.

That is my take on it and if you disagree that is fine because it's hard to get in someone elses mindset.