August Rush

Lyla Novacek (Keri Russell) is a brilliantly talented cellist. Her life is consumed by the practice of her art; a fact strengthened by her father Thomas (William Sadler). So when she goes out with a friend to a party, she is really unprepared for crush and chaos, and retreats up onto the roof.

There she meets another musician, Louis Connelly (Jonathon Rhys Meyers). His musical style is rock and roll; he is the lead singer in a band with his brother. (Think Oasis' the Gallagher Brothers, and you have an idea of the dynamics.) They talk, listening to a street musician far below, and as so often happens with young men and young women, one thing leads to another.

Awakened in the morning to a spray of champagne and the heckling of his band, Louis entreats Lyla to meet him that evening by the Archway in the plaza below. She won't say yes, but her smile carries promise.

However, her father is not happy, and he is bullying her to get on to their next engagement. Louis is due on a flight with the band, but despite their vociferous protests, runs to try to intercept Lyla.

They catch sight of each other across the street just as Thomas Novacek forces his daughter into the car. Each feels something precious has been stolen from them. Nor does it stop there; fast forward six months. Lyla is pregnant, and her father's grip on her is meeting with more and more resistance. Finally, you see it break, and though not a word is spoken, you can tell she has determined to track Louis down, she flees the restaurant, and his tyranny, and rushes to find Louis, and into the path of an oncoming car.

In the hospital, Thomas Novacek tells his daughter that she lost the baby.

Eleven years and fifteen days later Evan Taylor (Freddie Highmore) is living in an orphanage. This is where our story begins, with Evan listening to the susurrus of wind through wheat. He feels music in the noises of the world, and believes somehow that they connect him to his parents.

He believes this even in the face of violent opposition. Some of the older boys pick on Evan. The leader in particular wants to force him to renounce his hope, because he has none, and can't stand to see it in anyone else. But Evan won't say the words, and only the intervention of one of his friends saves him from a beating.

The next day he meets his new case worker, Richard Jefferies (Terrence Howard). Richard talks to him about placement; Evan is resistant. Richard smiles and explains that many children fear that if they leave where they are, their parents won't be able to find them. Evan agrees. Richard smiles and tells him not to worry; that is why he is here, to make sure that does not happen. He asks how long he has been at the orphanage. Evan says, "Eleven years and sixteen days. I've been counting." This touches Richard, and he does something he does not normally do, he gives Evan his personal number, and tells him to call him if he needs anything.

Shortly there after Evan runs away, determined to find his parents. Fortunately, the driver of the truck he stowed away in calls Mr. Jefferies, and tells him he is in New York. If Evan had only stayed in one place, he would have been picked up. But Evan is enchanted by the noises, and is drawn into the city, listening to its rhythms.

He meets a street musician, Arthur (Leon Thomas III). Arthur takes him to meet Wizard (Robin Williams). Wizard is a piece of work. Think if Bono were a Fagin like character with a flock of children playing for tips rather than stealing. They live in an abandoned theater. There, for the first time, Evan lays hands on a guitar. And what he does with it is magical.

It is obvious Evan is the rarest of prodigies. Wizard has a new best friend. He gives him a new name, partly to punch up his image, but also to protect him from being returned to the orphanage should he be found by the police.

Wizard seems like a twitchy musical den mother, but there is a lot of pimp in there as well. He is volatile, and the kids do what he says, fearing his temper. He is ultimately completely selfish. He sees Evan/August as a commodity.

Then, there is a police raid. Wizard attacks an officer to give August the chance to escape, not for his protection, but in order not to loose control of him.

August ends up in a church, drawn by the practice of a gospel choir. He is taken in, given shelter. There he meets Hope (Jamia Simone Nash), a little girl younger than he. She asks " Do you like music?" His reply, "More than food." She briefly explains how to read music before going off to school.

August is left to his own devices with a stack of books on how to read music....

When Hope comes home, she finds his work. One glance, and she screams. She knows.

Hope: "You know how you said Mozart was a musical prod?"

Reverend James: "Prodigy."

Hope: "Yeah, well, I got one of those, and he's living under my bed!"

Reverend James (Mykelti Williamson) knows exactly what to do with musical prodigies. You send them to Julliard. And that is what happens.

In the meantime, Thomas Novacek is dieing, Eleven years and six months too late. On his death bed, he confesses to Lyla what he has done. Lyla has given up concert work, and now teaches. Thomas says he was trying to protect her. Lyla is well past believing or forgiving her father. So now she is determined to find her son.

Wizard described his belief that music was a force permeating the universe. August is convinced that if his parents hear his music, they will be reunited. Perhaps there is something to this; Louis, after having left the band over ten years ago, is dragged to a family function by his girl friend. Back in the bosom of his band, his own voice and face projected on the wall, the tension between his brother and he overwhelming him, he starts a fight with his brother Nick (Alex O'Loughlin) "Hit me!" he screams. "Hit me! Help me out, I'm suffocating here!" So Nick pops him one. And the tension drains away.

So does the girlfriend, which is funny, because she was the one that made him contact his family. Be careful what you wish for honey. But now Louis is back in contact with his family, and with his music. And they are getting back into the loop. And Louis is thinking of Lyla again.

So now Lyla is looking for her son. Louis is looking for something, he's not sure what. Mr. Jefferies is looking for Evan. Wizard is looking for August, and August is just wanting to be found.

The ending of this movie is predictable, totally, completely predictable. It is also totally completely wonderful. Just as a concerto builds in power and complexity to a crescendo, so does this movie sweep along towards its climax, the music swells and fades, but it all builds toward that last movement.

This is a movie about the joys and burdens of genius. There is no doubt that Louis, Lyla and August are all prodigies. And each of them suffers from their gift; each is used because they are remarkable. Thomas Novacek gave Lyla's baby away and told her he was dead so it would not interfere with her career as a concert Cellist. Louis was suffocated by his brother who feared loosing him from the band. Evan was transformed into August so that Wizard would not loose control of him. Wizard took the boy from Julliard, and it was only because of his unwavering faith in the music that August found the strength to escape Wizard.

There are those who say this is fantastic, and unrealistic, that there are elements of fantasy to the music talking to these people, bringing them together. I disagree. The world is completely totally interconnected on levels so profound we can not fathom them. We see this in quantum mechanics, we see this in the so called Butterfly effect of chaos theory. These three individuals all possess rare abilities; these drew Louis and Lyla together. They passed this talent, amplified, to their son. So is it so difficult to believe that they could be linked by the music? A conversation between Wizard and August says it best.

August: "It's like someone is calling out to me, only some of us can hear it."

Wizard: "Only some of us are listening."