~~Music is Contagious~~

Hi friends,
A few days back I watched “August Rush” and one the same day I started writing review of it but thanks to Flu that I have to take a break for a few days. After getting rejuvenated by a highly needed break, I am back with the review. I will say that if you still have an inner child and an imagination that has not been beaten out of you by the "practical and mature" world, then you will love this movie. If you've ever questioned the impact of music on emotion, August Rush is a must-see that will bury any doubt for all time.
When I got recommendation from my friend to watch this movie, I went to rottentomato.com for reading the reviews and I was shocked to see that movie got mostly the negative reviews so I hesitated before watching this movie, but after the first 10 minutes I knew I will enjoy "August Rush" as much as I enjoy a beautiful sunny day. Everything is about that immortal hope and the simple music life offers you daily, the kind of music you just have to stop in the middle of the park and listen to, listen like you will never hear anything again.

Plot:

Evan Taylor (Freddie Highmore) is an orphan who is just convinced that he can hear his parent's music that they do want him and he goes out to find them. Lyla (Keri Russell) and Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), Evan's parents, were two young people who found a strong connection and had a one night stand, but Lyla's father (William Sadler) takes her away from Louis and when a horrible accident happens, Lyla's father lies to her telling her that her baby died, but behind her back puts the baby up for adoption. Evan is set to find his parents but come across a musical group of kids, who are making money for Wizzard (Robin Williams), when Evan plays music, it's magical, and Wizzard exposes Evan giving him a new name, August Rush and makes money off of him. But when Lyla finds out about her son being alive, she goes to New York to find him, Louis starts thinking about Lyla and finds out where she lives, Chicago, but when he finds out she's gone, he goes to New York to relive his band days, instead they find each other and the musical genius their love created.
Acting:
Freddie Highmore is as much a child-actor prodigy as August Rush is a musician; he’s truly in a class of his own whose facial expressions alone carried more emotion than any screenwriter's words could.. It’s not just that the British youngster seamlessly ditches his accent to play an American, might I add—or that he’s able to pull off the musical aspect (he reportedly mastered the guitar and conducting for further authenticity).
Russell and Rhys Meyers, meanwhile, add a classy touch of adult to the story with their opposites-attract arc. Russell borders on too pristine and precious at times and Rhys Meyers is written as the stereotype of Irishmen, but they make you believe in the commonality of music as a matchmaker.
Williams, however, misfires with his depiction of the somewhat ambiguous Wizard. It is unclear whether he is a reincarnated pirate or just a well-traveled New Yorker, and Williams plays him with that lack of clarity, but kids will laugh nonetheless when the actor gets loud and hyper.
Terrence Howard, as a concerned social worker, and Mykelti Williamson, as a pastor, turn in solid supporting performances, while young Jamia Simone Nash may incite standing ovations with her singing.
Direction:
The concept of August Rush is most certainly aimed towards those too young to discern between realism and fantasy, but at least director Kirsten Sheridan doesn’t patronize kid viewers the way most preteen movies do. While the young director doesn’t exactly steer clear of clichés and sap, she makes a concerted effort to place the film’s music and sheer energy at the forefront. Just as impressive as the film’s omnipresent music—both “found” (basketball dribbles, etc.) and orchestrated—is the look of a somewhat magical Manhattan that is as fun for kids as it is mildly scary. All in all, Sheridan’s first big movie is a different, if slightly uneven, kind of kids flick but not so different that the target audience won’t dance along.
Music:
Now coming to the part which I liked most was the marvelous music. For the first time after Titanic, I downloaded a soundtrack of a movie and couldn't be happier. The lyrics, the music, the singing everything is superb. After watching this movie I can feel music in each and everything, be it a running motor or guys playing basketball or plants moving in the air. Composer Mark Mancina spent over a year and a half composing the score of August Rush and its worth it. This will make you fell that music is everywhere you just have to feel it. And it also defines the nature of Evan when someone asked Evan: do you like music, he replied “more than food”.

The main title track of movie says “Sometimes the world tries to knock it out of youBut I believe in music the way that some people believe in fairy tales”.
The song “Moondance” sung by Jonathan Rhys Meyers with mouthorgan music in the background depicts the perfect emotion of love

“Well, it's a marvelous night for a Moondance,
With the stars up above in your eyes,

A fantabulous night to make romance

'Neath the cover of October skies

And all the leaves on the trees are falling

To the sound of the breezes that blow

And I'm trying to please to the calling

Of your heart-strings that play soft and low

And all the night's magic seems to whisper and hush

And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush”

The song “Break” sung by Steve Erdody and Jonathan Rhys Meyers himself shows the perfect emotion of loosing someone you never wanted. It goes as

“Once you’re here you’re never gone ,

Oh once you’re here you’re never gone

I fall from in out the cold,

A piece of me that I can’t hold

I love you as I loose you more,

I break outside this open door,

Catch me as I wash away Oh,

catch me as I wash away.”

I am having short of space but I will say that all the songs and music in the movie is superb.
The best music score is “Bari Improv” when Evan first time plays the Guitar at Wizard’s place (written by Mark Mancina and Kaki King, Performed by Kaki King). I watched this scene for almost 25 times. It’s awe-inspiring.

My verdict:
Personally, I loved the story. And the music was amazing. I had goosebumps throughout the entire movie. In fact, there was probably so much emphasis on the music that there was less character development than a lot of people would like. I liked this element of the movie, though, as it requires you to read between the lines. Not even the ending is handed to you nicely wrapped and on a platter. There's no wrap-up dialogue or epilogue sequence, just the audience's own inferences. Hence, if you don't have an imagination, you should stay home. I would easily give four and half stars out of five.