August Rush

[Sweder]

During my recent travels I had occasion to view August Rush, a recent gifted-youngster-in-trouble Hollywood offering. I'd seen a couple of reviews, both decrying the high saccharine content to the point of suggesting the film should have been titled 'Sugar Rush', so I can't say I was too thrilled. Zoom (my Montreal carrier) don't have individual screens and I've not mastered the art of watching films on my laptop so I was stuck with it.

How wrong can you be? For whatever reason I was at this particular time wide open for the sucker punch and boy did it ever land! This film requires total suspension of disbelief, along the lines required to enjoy the excellent Field of Dreams. Studied logically, dissected scientifically this film will never add up to more than a bundle of nonsense. But hey - watching movies, especially unashamed heart-string tuggers like August Rush and FoD - is about letting the story flow, being swept up in the moment to be left high (if not dry) and breathless. This film ticked all those boxes. I'm not going to go into plot detail. For one it would spoil a series of surprises that whilst perhaps a tad predictable nonetheless enchant when they arrive. From a cynical starting point I found myself strangely uplifted by the end, exchanging knowing glances with several fellow passengers all of whom had tell-tale dampness around the eyes and slightly ethereal smiles.

Something else to scare off the wary is the presence of Robin Williams. I'm not giving too much away in telling you that he's not his usually snappy, chirpy self; in fact his character is not only flawed but positively dark.

Don't research this too much and try to avoid industry reviews. Just go and see it (or rent it). Be warned, you might be gagging on the schmalz even as you reach for the kleenex. But I'll warrant you'll feel better for having seen it, and surely that's the idea of this genre.