In the whimsical, modern-day fairytale August Rush, Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland) plays Evan Taylor, an orphan at a boys' home filled with ornery misfits. His polite manners and kindness aren't the only qualities that separate him from his rough-and-tumble housemates; Evan also hears music in all he encounters.

The music he hears fills his head and heart to the point that he believes it is a sort of "divine calling" that he is meant to follow. Evan believes his long-lost parents will be able to hear the same music, and eventually they will be reunited as a family. As if following a siren's call, Evan is led to New York City, running away from the boys' home to wander the streets of Gotham and peddle his musical genius in search of his mother and father.

Meanwhile, his parents are going about their lives not knowing they even have a son). Evan's mom, Lyla (Keri Russell), and dad, Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), have abandoned their own musical talents in denial of their hopes and dreams -- and long-lost love for each other.

 

They're both musicians, but from opposite sides of the spectrum (Louis in a rock band, Lyla as a cellist in an orchestra) they find themselves wanting more out of life. As each character's story begins to intertwine with one another, the fairytale unfolds into a harmonious family love story.

 

August Rush is pleasant and satisfying as a romanticized fairytale for the 21st century. While the main characters are developed well and the story grows more dynamic throughout, there are contrasting elements that seem to slow its otherwise whimsical pace.

 

Terrence Howard and Robin Williams provide support, but in roles largely peripheral to the plot. Their characters never quite reach the level of impact we were hoping for. Instead, they serve more as plot catalysts for coincidences, offering little in the way of development in their own right or within their relationships with the main characters. It struck us as a missed opportunity to ratchet up the intensity of the story in a way that would have been more rewarding.

Directed by Kirsten Sheridan from a script by Nick Castle and James V. Hart (story by Castle and Paul Castro), August Rush maintains its fanciful and free-spirited beauty in spite of it shortcomings. In such a heavily music-driven film, the soundtrack was diverse and impressive, even showcasing the hard work Freddie Highmore put into learning various instruments for the role.

Well acted and beautifully shot, August Rush may lift you above its limitations so long as you fully embrace the fantastical journey it longs to take you on.
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