by Paul Grant (follower of Basho)
I went to see August Rush without any preconceived notions about the movie, other than those having to do with the title (none of those panned out). What I saw was a movie that had elements of bot the Cinderella story and Oliver twist. Even though some moments bordered on the ridiculous, and the acting was not the best, and the screenplay was heavily flawed, I enjoyed the movie and the music. I especially liked the line "I love music more than food."
The basic conclusion I made after reflecting on the movie (with a friend), was that
it truly was a fiery tale (a far-fetched sequence of events) with a fairytale ending (a happy ending). If you are into that sort of thing, or are in need of a surgery sweet sappy tale then this might be for you.
These type of tales are not just for children though I suspect children (over 8(? )will tend to enjoy it more than most adults. If you are into realism, like true story with a happy ending, or simply a realistic plot, then this tory will fall short.
Basic Plot:
August Rush involves three stories, the first the story of a woman is a cellist who has one night d and becomes pregnant only to loose the child. Th second is a bout Irish rock musician wo gives up music , but not his desire to find again his true love, a woman he had a on night stand with. And third, the story of an orphan, unknown at first to himself , a music prodigy, who holds the belief that his biological parents are out there somewhere and want to be reunited with him.
Key Players:
The original music by Mark Mancini is a highlight of the film. At the beginning of the film, we see Lyla perform a classical cello solo. At the same time, Louis (the unknowing fatherof Evan) is making his own music with his band at a gig. Mancini shows the contrasts between the two musical styles but soon begins to meld them together into an organic one. There are also August’s original compositions and their energetic execution that are underlined with an impressive percussive beat. The great rock classic, Moon dance, is used to fine affect as that tune in integrated into the music of August Rush.
The director: Her father is Jim Sheridan, whose films such as My Left Foot and In America (for which Kristen shared an Oscar nomination with her father and sister, Naomi, for Best Original Screenplay)
Writerswriters responsible for such forgettable films as "Hook," "The Boy Who Could Fly," "Sahara" and other cinematic flops, though Hart did also give us this year's "The Last Mimzy.
Alfred Thomas Highmore[(born February 14, 1992) Highmore began acting with small parts on TV at the age of 7. In 2004, he had a major breakthrough with his critically acclaimed performance as Peter in Finding Neverland. Highmore received several nominations and awards for the role, including a Broadcast Film Critics' Award and a Screen Actors' Guild Award nomination. In 2005, he played the part of Charlie Bucket in the blockbuster film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (adapted from the book by Roald Dahl). He was allegedly recommended for the role by Johnny Depp, who was very impressed by the young actor's performance in Finding Neverland.
Highmore, only 14 when the film was shot last year is English, and Evan/August is American. He pulls off the accent amzinglly well.
Keri Lynn Russell (born March 23, 1976) is a Golden Globe-winning American actress and dancer. After appearing in a number of made-for-television films and series during the mid-1990s, she came to fame for portraying the title role of Felicity Porter on the series Felicity, which ran from 1998 to 2002. Russell has since appeared in several films, including We Were Soldiers, The Upside of Anger, Mission: Impossible III and Waitress.
Russell first appeared on television as a cast member of the New Mickey Mouse Club variety show on the Disney Channel.[1] She was on the show from 1991 to 1993 and co-starred with future pop stars Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, JC Chasez, and Justin Timberlake.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born 27 July 1977) is an Irish Golden Globe-winning actor.
The very handsome Rhys Meyers has starred in television series including Gormenghast (2000) and in the CBS 4-hour mini-series Elvis (2005) as Elvis Presley alongside Rose McGowan as Ann-Margret. The latter earned him an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe win. He is currently starring in the Showtime series The Tudors (2007) as young Henry VIII.
Among many movie credits Rhys Meyers starred in Woody Allen's brilliant film Match Point, for which he received a Chopard Trophy at the Cannes Film Festival.
On Sunday 18 November 2007 Rhys Meyers was arrested in Dublin Airport and charged with being drunk and in breach of the peace. He was later released on bail to appear at the Dublin District Court on 5 December 2007.[6] He was in Dublin to promote his new movie August Rush on the Irish television programme Tubridy Tonight.
Two days later, on November 20, the actor's mother, Geraldine Meyers-O'Keeffe, died after being admitted to the Mercy Hospital in Cork. She was 50 years old.[7]
Rhys Meyers also has experience as a singer, and sings several songs in this movie.
Notes on Fairy tales:
Bruno Bettelheim, the author of the book The Uses of Enchantment, (which I read in a literature course in college) wrote: ".. if children are allowed to read and interpret these fairy tales in their own way, they will get a greater sense of meaning and purpose in their lives." Therefore I will refrain from suggesting what meaning this movie seeks to present.
A Russian scholar by the name of Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp (1895 — 1970) analyzed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements. These plot components that he identified turned out to cross over from just Russian folk/ faerie tales to folk/ Fairy tales in general.
The movie August Rush fits into his sequence easily:
After the initial situation is depicted, (In flashbacks, we see how Lyla Novacek (Waitress's Keri Russell), an acclaimed classical cellist, met and shared a romantic evening with Louis Connelly (The Tudors' Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a singer and guitarist with an Irish rock 'n' roll band.)
1. A member of a family leaves home & the hero is introduced - In this case Evan (Freddie Highmore) is orphaned.
2. An interdiction is addressed to the hero ('don't go there')-In this case Evan is told not believe that he will ever be reunited with his biological parents.
3. The interdiction is violated (villain enters the tale); -While taking the search for his parents on his own by running away from the orphanage Even meets Wizard (Robin Williams)), a Faginesque former musician who lives off the musical talents of his young, errant wards.
4. The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance ( a preliminary survey to gain information)
5. The villain gains information about the victim-
6. The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings
7. Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy
8. a member of family lacks something or desires something
9. Misfortune or lack is made known
10. Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action
11. Hero leaves home;
12. Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc, preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor);
13. Hero reacts to actions of future donor
14. Hero acquires use of a magical agent
15. Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search;
16. Hero and villain join in direct combat; T
18. Villain is defeated (defeated in contest)-
19. Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revived, captive freed);
20. Hero returns; Evans
26. Task is resolved; Evans goal in writing his musical piece was so that many would hear it- and perhaps his real parents
27. Hero is recognized :Evan is recognized by his mother as he conducts.
28. False hero or villain is exposed; left alone the wizard play his music, but no one an hear him
29. Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc);
31. Hero ascends the throne (is rewarded)
What others are saying:
By Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
"August Rush" feels like the cinematic equivalent of being stuffed with fruitcake and doused with a gallon of egg nog, so if that's the sort of thing you go in for around the holidays . . . Freddie Highmore ("Finding Neverland") stars as a Dickensian orphan with an ear so prodigious that he can hear the music in everything.
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August Rush is perfect for people who like good stories and music. I know I do and therefore am excited about this movie.
August Rush is about an orphaned boy that uses his musical talent as a clue to finding his birth parents. Dramas combined with adventure and fairy tale elements can never go wrong. I remember the last movie I saw in this similar genre is Big Fish, which is yet another reason to expect good things (but don't compare it with this one too much
by FilmPeek http://www.filmpeek.net/2007-10/
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