August Rush (2007)

August Rush Not A Rush, But Still Enjoyable

By Yahoo! Shopping User  Nov 1, 2008

Pros: The movie interweaved the storylines of the foster care system, and the ability of music to unite even a family very well.

Cons: The plot holes were very noticeable, albeit small at some points.

August Rush is not your average drama. It is another story that discusses the issues related to adoption and the foster care system in America. This is not the first time that the foster care system has been discussed in a recent movie. The most rece...nt movie that discussed the system is John Cusack's 'Martian Child.' So it is no surprise that these two movies include the trailer for the other. And while the two movies both discuss the foster care system, they differ somewhat on the side taken. 'Martian Child' tackled the foster care system from the angle of the pitfalls and potential problems that arise from the system. 'August Rush', on the other hand, shows the system from the side of a parent who actually wanted the child, rather than simply giving the child up. In the case of 'August Rush', Evans mom wanted Evan. But her father didn't. He forged his daughter's signature out of his own blind greed. He tried to allege that he had her best interests at hand. But the reality is that he had his own interests at hand. One of the best, and most thought provoking scenes in the movie that illustrates this movie's argument comes when Terrence Howard's character meets Evan's mother. Not knowing that she had been looking for Evan, he gets angry and questions her, asking her why she came looking for him then, rather than years ago. It illustrates the fact that while many parents do just give up their kids early in life, there are those that perhaps don't. Those parents are likely far and few between. But they do likely exist. In that same vein, Robin Williams' character of Wizard makes the argument raised in 'Martian Child.' He makes the argument that kids in the foster care system go from home to home, half expecting to get yelled at, beaten or generally treated horribly. Sadly, that argument is very true. This kind of thing happens every day in the U.S. foster care system. The irony here is that not long after that, he [Wizard] gets upset at Evan while he is trying to negotiate a deal with someone to have Evan perform. When Evan disagrees with him, Wizard pushes Evan into a wall, yelling at him as he does. That makes him just as despicable as any of the foster parents that he railed against. Williams plays a minor role for once, in this movie. Despite that, he does an outstanding job of playing a villain. It is proof of just how versatile Williams is as an actor. As if he needed it, it verifies even more, why Robin Williams is among the elite actors in Hollywood. The foster care system is not the only topic discussed in this movie. Music fans in general will find the music to be the real highpoint of the story. The scenes in which Evan is playing the guitar are obviously someone else. That aside, the guitar work done is outstanding. And it is hard to believe that a child prodigy that has never seen a single musical note could write an entire musical score for a full orchestra. But in the end, the song is impressive in itself. There are other plot holes throughout the movie. Despite that, the general storyline makes up for them. On the one hand there is the storyline involing the foster care system. On the other hand, there is the storyline showing the power of music to unite people, even a family. That storyline weaves seemlessly into the discussion of the foster care system. August Rush is an enjoyable family movie. It is also an enjoyable movie for music lovers in general. There are plot holes throughout the movie that likely some audiences will see. And though there was a light discussion on the foster care system, it was overshadowed by the musical storyline. That aside, August Rush is still a movie worth at least renting for any weekend. Read more Less