Takes itself way too seriously

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Now, okay. I understand that this is a film that loves music (and I can see that), but, one problem I have with some films is the crime they commit of taking a plot that has been used over and over again and just rehashes it without adding anything new. Sadly, for August Rush, this is the truth. The acting in this film is, actually wonderful. Freddie Highmore ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") is wonderful as ever, but even his acting can not really save this film. The same goes to Keri Russell. The script is basically a modern telling of Oliver Twist, just added a love of music. Now, if the script only worked on the love of music and cut the rest of it out, then this film would have been better. But, it had to have a sappy love story thrown in. Now, the main reason, if any, to see this film would have to be the film's score. I mean, it is just wonderful to hear all the music in the film and it would have worked well if the film only dealt with Evan (Freddie Highmore) being a music prodigy. Now, the direction of this film (by the Irishwoman Kirsten Sheridan) is rather slow. I mean, it could have been much faster paced and it does drag for a while. Overall, I only recommend this film if you are into cliché films or just really good film scores.

few slices of Dickens. a lovely story. music. and great story. about vocation and about hope. about the force of music. and about the art. about an entire state of soul. impressive. and remarkable eulogy of freedom and the courage to do the right choice. August Rush is unique. because it seems be the classic sad story with the perfect end, a fairy tale in modern rhythm. or, just a lovely trip across the beauty circles. so, a great film. not perfect, not the desired masterpiece. only a great film. about the science and fascinated science. to be yourself.

I started off thinking I would not enjoy this movie, but I found it just so warm and moving. I was deeply touched by the performance of Freddie Highmore. I think he acts with such genuine feeling and his smile lights up the screen. If you want to watch a fast paced movie then this is not it. If you feel like watching something down to earth and honest, then this most certainly is. I have watched some of these scenes over and over and each time they make me smile. The supporting cast play there part and all of it to me seems well acted and right. A film for all the family and I promise there will not be a dry eye in the house, especially towards the film ending. Remember, music is all around us :)

"August Rush" is the most magical story I've seen in years. It also has some of the biggest plot holes I've seen in years. But in the end I have to say the magic triumphs, and if you watch this movie you'll probably enjoy it IF you are aware of a few things up front.First, this must be treated as a fairytale. That is, just as we accept that a big bad wolf can talk and a family of bears can cook porridge, we must make some large allowances for this film if we are to accept it.I won't go into too much detail what these errors/allowances are (other IMDb members have already compiled quite a list in the goofs section), but if you are a musician, particularly a classically trained one, you'll need some serious suspension of disbelief. The story is predicated on the idea that a young boy is a musical prodigy. That's fine, but this kid is downright supernatural. If you can accept that he can see a guitar for the first time and immediately rock out like Stanley Jordan, then you're OK. If you can accept the notion that he leafs through a 1st grade music book for 10 seconds and immediately knows advanced musical theory (the equivalent of leafing through a basic arithmetic book and suddenly knowing calculus), then you're halfway there. And if you can accept that he has the power to change into a tuxedo faster than Clark Kent can put on his blue tights, then you're gold.OK, enough cynicism. If you can get past all of that, then "August Rush" is really a wonderful and original story that will charm your pants off. Very loosely based on Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist", it's the story of an orphan in search of his parents. But this story revolves around the intangible power of music to draw people together. I've never heard of any story that makes such a powerful & moving metaphor for the power of music, and like I said up front, this powerful metaphor was enough for me to lose myself in the fantasy of it all. I probably would've fallen into it more readily if someone had told me to expect a fantasy. But instead I was halfway expecting realism, making much of the movie hard to swallow. Well now you've been warned, so go into it expecting a dreamlike fairytale and just let yourself be swept away by the magic.A word of admiration for the late, great Robin Williams who plays a very complicated role here: a man who is basically a good guy but prone to inexcusable bouts of selfishness and violence. Not a particularly charming character but a memorable one, played with great skill.