A Sentimental Journey

"August Rush" is the second movie I've seen in a row that is unabashedly free of cynicism and full of music that leaves you feeling happy when you leave the theatre. After this film and "Enchanted" you just have to try to wipe the smile off my face.

"August Rush" may not be for everybody, it's almost shamelessly sentimental but since I'm a sucker for sentimentality I was indeed sucked in. It also helps that the story itself is a somewhat variation on Dickens' "Oliver Twist". The beginning starts off with Evan, a young boy who is living in an orphanage. Evan is thought of as a freak by most of the other boys mostly because he has this undying hope that some day he'll find his actual parents, he has no idea what they look like or if their alive, but with the power of music he thinks it will lead him to them. That's right I said the power of music, just go with it. We find out Evan is a musical prodigy and can find music or rhythm in anything from the wind or a subway train. We then flashback to his parents and when they first met and fell in love, they are played by Keri Russel as Lyla a concert violinist who is controlled by her over bearing father, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Louis an Irish rock singer. Lyla and Louis seem to be connected with their music and one night they find each other and conceive little Evan, but as it happens fate breaks them apart as Lyla's father takes her away. When Lyla is in an accident she is left to believe Evan died during birth, when in fact her father secretly sends him off to an orphanage with her never knowing.

Evan must now follow the music which leads him to New York and in the hands of a Fagin-like character by the name of The Wizard (Robin Williams). The Wizard takes in lost boys who are also talented musicians and get them to busk around the city while collecting their money. The Wizard notices Evan's talent and realizes he'll get richer than ever before with him. He changes Evan's name to August Rush and tries to manage his career, all the while Lyla learns Evan is alive and goes out in search for him, with Louis also trying to find Lyla after being separated. Evan, Louis, and Lyla all seem to be connected through their music which ultimately will bring us to a heartfelt finale with a Symphony in Central Park.

I could've just said this film is corny, it's sugar sweet that will hurt your teeth and avoid this one at all cost, but I don't really want to say that because that is exactly what this movie's ambitions are. It's suppose to tug at your heart and release the inner cry baby in you, plus it's told as a fairy tale and a fantasy. Plus the film is full of so likable people, the reason we want to see Evan, Lyla, and Louis reunite is because we like them so much. There's also a social service worker played by Terrence Howard who also cares for Evan and tries to help Lyla find him.

This is not a musical, but the music really does play a big part in the story, it's a connection between the three central characters as if it's almost playing the role of fate and you can accept that or not, I choose to accept it.

The film is very manipulative movie, but who cares, I sure didn't, by the end I didn't mind the music was overly dramatic and the conclusion was predictable and sappy, my heart was melted and if yours doesn't then that's just too darn bad.

"August Rush" can also join the ranks of "Once", "Enchanted", "Across the Universe", "Hairspray", and "La Vie En Rose" as musicals or musical themed films that came out this year, all of which are some of the best films I've seen all year, it's nice to see music filling the theatre in such unique and creative ways, and we still have "I'm Not There", and "Sweeny Todd" to look forward to.

3 stars out of 4