August Rush

Despite most critical reviews that condemn “August Rush” as too sweet, too unbelievable, I found the movie thoroughly enjoyable for those very reasons. Eleven-year old Evan Taylor ( Freddie Highmore), living in a group home, is convinced that his parents are out there and if he can play his song, they will hear it and find him. After running away, Evan finds himself in New York and in the company of Wizard (Robin Williams), a sinister Fagin-like character who is the father figure to a group of run-away panhandlers. When Wizard discovers Evan’s musical abilities, he changes Evan’s name to August Rush and immediately sets out to exploit his talent. When August demonstrates his musical genius in a church, the minister enrolls him at Julliard and within six months he is to conduct a concert in Central Park. Is the plot credible? Of course not. There are too many coincidences and the characters are fairly one-dimensional. But Highmore’s sincerity shines through and you want August to be reunited with his parents. Sometimes you just want to see a film that makes you feel good, to escape into a world where positive thoughts can result in happy endings. (11/24/07)