August Rush gives a musical edge to the traditional Oliver Twist story. Wait, that's already been done. Let's try that again. August Rush shows that a cast of decent performers can't save a premise that tries to be far more heartfelt than it ever had a chance of being. Orphans. Music. Star-crossed lovers. The helpful civil servant. Fagin. It's all there. But these things don't really come together to form anything worthwhile. At least, not this time.
Freddie Highmore plays an orphan who sets out from his orphanage in search of his parents whom he knows nothing about; all he has to guide him is music. This boy hears music all about him. The fields. The traffic. Through the course of his adventure he joins up with a modern day Fagin character Maxwell ‘Wizard' Wallace (Robin Williams) who exploits the boy but opens him up to the world of music. With ‘Wizard' as his agent, the orphan takes on the name August Rush and becomes a musical sensation. All the while, he gives us those pathetic doggy eyes as he confirms with the Wiz that this will all help him find mommy and daddy. I know the kid lived in an orphanage all his life, but he's a bit too naïve to make the story worthwhile.
Eventually, August slips out of the grasp of Wizard and finds himself the newest musical prodigy attending the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. As the faculty realize they have a genius on their hands they set up the story for the climactic reunion of father, mother and child. How sweet and saccharine. Interspersed between August's story we learn about the events that brought Lyla Novacek (Keri Russell) and Louis Connelly (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) together just long enough to create August - we also see them desperately trying to reconnect in present day. Don't you just get shivers thinking about that tearful reunion?
The story, despite having no fantastical elements, asks you to really strain the suspended belief aspect of movie watching. Wait, not only is August a musical genius but he can learn to play a guitar in 20 minutes? On top of that he learns to play the guitar in a very abnormal way? Oh, what's that you say? Now he's learned to write music using nothing but a few sheets as examples? Of course! He's a prodigy; he doesn't need someone to explain ‘pianissimo' or other terms to him. He was born speaking all the languages of the world!
Freddie Highmore falters in his quest to become the acting boy wonder he so wants to be. His plucky optimistic spirit feels horribly over the top and at times you'll want to reach into the screen to slap him up and remind him ‘kid, you're a damned orphan! I understand the necessity for joy, but seriously too much optimism is fatal.' He honestly borders on delusional for a good portion of the film.
Keri Russell's career got a revitalizing surge with the success of the independent film Waitress - but I fear she may have gone and splurged that success on an empty tearjerker. She deserves a better part than August Rush had to offer her. She didn't rise above the script - but I don't entirely blame her for that. Jonathan Rhys Meyers' story line was perhaps the most enjoyable for me, personally, as unto itself it took a look at how people can try to live two entirely separate lives: having the band and having the career. Once again, a talented thespian squandered by an empty and clichéd script. Good try though.
Robin Williams, however, plays a rather warm-turned-menacing Fagin. Robin's ability to switch faces in a heartbeat sells the character. With every word of "encouragement" you can see the strings attached. No matter how high August jumps, the Wizard pulls his dreams a little bit higher. Well played Mr. Williams. Ditch the cowboy look though.
Terrence Howard takes another meaningless role as the civil servant who cares waaaaaay too much for someone making government pay. Sure, he does it for the children - their smiling faces are his reward. There's nothing behind this character besides serving as a convenient liaison between Russell's frantic search for her son and August. No, Howard doesn't have actual contact with August, but he knows just enough to continue giving outdated clues.
August Rush had higher aspirations as a film than it ever could have achieved with a story so thoroughly based in serendipity. It's hard to give heartfelt and still meaningful endings when every 5 minutes you have an event that asks the audience to overlook a glaring impossibility. Just goes to show that a talented crew can't save a sinking ship.
"August Rush" opens November 21, 2007 and is rated PG. Drama. Directed by Kirsten Sheridan. Written by Nick Castle, James V. Hart. Starring Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard, Robin Williams.
