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"AUGUST RUSH"
(2007) (Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell) (PG)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Moderate Minor Heavy *Mild Minor
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Moderate None Minor None Mild
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Mild Minor Heavy Heavy Mild


QUICK TAKE:
Drama: A young musical prodigy hopes he can find the parents he's never known through his music.
PLOT:
Evan (FREDDIE HIGHMORE) is an 11-year-old boy growing up in an orphanage who can hear music in just about anything. While Richard Jeffries (TERRENCE HOWARD) of New York's Child Services would like to see him placed with a family, he understands Evan's reluctance since many kids worry that if they leave, their birth parents won't be able to find them.

11 years ago, his were pampered cellist Lyla Novacek (KERI RUSSELL) and Irish rocker Louis Connelly (JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS) who met one night in New York, with their liaison resulting in her getting pregnant. When her father, Thomas (WILLIAM SADLER), separated them, they figured they'd never see each other again. That only got worse for Lyla when her father lied that her baby died in childbirth, thus resulting in young Evan ending up at his orphanage, Lyla in Chicago teaching music, and Louis in San Francisco in an office job.

Back in the present and believing that music will someone lead him to his parents, Evan ends up in New York City where he meets young street performer Arthur (LEON G. THOMAS III). With no place to stay, Evan returns with Arthur to the latter's deserted theater home where he and other homeless kids ply the streets for tips that go back to the stern man caring for them, Wizard (ROBIN WILLIAMS).

When he realizes Evan is a guitar prodigy, he renames him "August Rush," sends him out into the city, and dreams of making big money being the boy's manager. But August will not be denied in his quest, resulting in him meeting church girl Hope (JAMIA SIMONE NASH), whose pastor gets the boy into Juilliard. From that point on, and as he continues to discover and make music, August hopes that he'll some day meet his parents, unaware that they're now also in the city with him.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Some may be drawn to it, particularly if they're into music and/or are fans of anyone in the cast.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG
For some thematic elements, mild violence and language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • FREDDIE HIGHMORE plays an 11-year-old musical prodigy and orphan who hopes that he'll be able to find his parents through his music.
  • KERI RUSSELL plays the mother he's never known, a former cellist whose night spent with Louis in the past lead to her pregnancy (but she believed her baby died in childbirth due to her father's lie). Never the same since, she's now a music teacher, and once she learns of the above lie, she sets out to find her son.
  • JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS plays a former Irish rocker turned businessman who's drawn back to music. In the past, he ends up impregnating Lyla.
  • ROBIN WILLIAMS plays a caustic man who makes a living off the kids he sends off into the city as street performers for tips. He sees potential fortune in Evan, renames him August Rush, and is mean toward the boy when he doesn't blindly follow his direction.
  • WILLIAM SADLER plays Lyla's father who breaks up her brief romance with Louis, and then lies to her that her baby died in childbirth,
  • LEON G. THOMAS III plays another of Wizard's street performers who befriends Evan.
  • TERRENCE HOWARD plays a social worker who's looking out for Evan's best interests.
  • JAMIA SIMONE NASH plays a young church girl who befriends Evan.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    Here's a quick look at the content found in this PG-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 1 possible "s" word, while various other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Off-screen, casual sex results in an unplanned pregnancy (kissing beforehand, and snuggled but clothed sleeping afterwards is all that's seen).

    Violence includes some brief fighting and other physical contact between characters, and younger kids might find that and some moments of peril as unsettling and/or suspenseful. Some of that contact stems from bad attitudes that are present in the film, while some of the behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate.

    Various thematic elements are present, as is tense family material. Characters drink in several scenes, while brief smoking also occurs.

    Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

    For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that at a concert.

    For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there are varying amounts of handheld and bouncy camerawork in the film.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • We see miscellaneous drinking.
  • We see miscellaneous people drinking at a party.
  • One of Louis' band mates wakes up Louis and Lyla by spraying champagne on them.
  • Arthur says that his mother took off with a crack-head in the past, and that she "never gave a damn about me."
  • We see Louis' former band mate and various miscellaneous people drinking at a party.
  • Louis' band mate has a beer.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • Tired of his former band mate always blaming their failure on him leaving, Louis repeatedly pushes that other man backwards, urging him to hit him, so the man does, punching him in the face, leaving Louis with a slightly bloody lip.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • A bully at the orphanage picks on another kid, calls him "Porky," and kicks him on the clothed butt.
  • Doing a bit of a threatening knock-knock routine, a bully knocks on Evan's head. The bully then punches his hand near Evan in an intimidating manner.
  • A bully asks Evan if he can hear his parents, and Evan says he can, but the punk says Evan doesn't have any family.
  • Following a heard but unseen car accident where she's apparently struck by one, we see Lyla looking rather sick in a hospital, which is when she is in labor. A little later, her father indicates to her that her baby has died, but we later learn that he lied about this.
  • Arthur states that the guitar he is playing was stolen by Wizard.
  • Upset that the kids have a pizza without his permission, Wizard throws a switchblade that lands in the floor by them, all to show his displeasure.
  • Wizard gives the homeless kids a place to stay, but he makes them perform on the streets, and then takes half of their tips for himself.
  • Lyla gets a call that her father is in the hospital so she rushes to see him. There, he finally admits to lying about her baby dying 11 years ago. We then see a flashback that shows him forging her signature on the adoption papers.
  • Arthur is jealous of the attention Wizard pays to Evan.
  • We see Wizard tearing down a missing child poster that features Evan, since he knows that if the boy is found, he (Wizard) would lose out on his source of money.
  • Wizard grabs Evan by his jacket, telling him he'll play what he says he'll play, and breathe when he says he'll breathe. He then pushes him back against a chain link fence in a menacing fashion.
  • Wizard lies about being Evan's father, and then blackmails the boy by threatening that he knows his real name, and thus would turn him into the authorities if the boy doesn't cooperate with him and leave Juilliard.
  • To try to keep Evan from leaving, Wizard tells him that the boy's parents are dead.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed here may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers but probably few if any others unless they're sensitive to said material.
  • Doing a bit of a threatening knock-knock routine, a bully knocks on Evan's head. The bully then punches his hand near Evan in an intimidating manner (younger kids, especially those who've suffered the same or something similar, might find that bullying as unsettling).
  • Following a heard but unseen car accident where she's apparently struck by one, we see Lyla looking rather sick in a hospital, which is when she is in labor. A little later, her father indicates to her that her baby has died, but we later learn that he lied about this.
  • Evan is nearly hit by a car while crossing the street, and one then does bump him down to the pavement, but he's otherwise okay.
  • Upset that the kids have a pizza without his permission, Wizard throws a switchblade that lands in the floor by them, all to show his displeasure.
  • Wizard grabs Evan by his jacket, telling him he'll play what he says he'll play, and breathe when he says he'll breathe. He then pushes him back against a chain link fence in a menacing fashion.
  • Thinking they will take him back to the orphanage, Evan runs from the police, including leaping over a turnstile to get onto the subway without paying.
  • Wizard lies about being Evan's father, and then blackmails the boy by threatening that he knows his real name, and thus would turn him into the authorities if the boy doesn't cooperate with him and leave Juilliard.
  • To try to keep Evan from leaving, Wizard tells him that the boy's parents are dead. When Evan says he's leaving anyway, Wizard starts coming after him, but Arthur then hits Wizard over the back with a guitar that breaks upon impact. For a few moments, Evan appears as if he is trapped somewhere down in the bowels of a subway stop, but he manages to get out.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Upset that the kids have a pizza without his permission, Wizard throws a switchblade that lands in the floor by them, all to show his displeasure.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Hello porky," "Freak," "Sweet dreams, freaks," "Kid's a space cadet," "Do I look like a real estate tycoon to you?" "Never game a damn about me," "A real piece of work," "Open the damn door already," "He'll be pissed," "He's a damn fool," "A school to screw you and take all your damn money," "Pain in the ass," "Where they kick the crap out of you" and "A freak of nature."
  • A bully at the orphanage picks on another kid, calls him "Porky," and kicks him on the clothed butt.
  • Doing a bit of a threatening knock-knock routine, a bully knocks on Evan's head. The bully then punches his hand near Evan in an intimidating manner.
  • One of Louis' band mates wakes up Louis and Lyla by spraying champagne on them.
  • Evan is always conducting with his hands to the sounds around him.
  • We see miscellaneous graffiti in several scenes.
  • One of Louis' former band mates has a tattoo.
  • Thinking they will take him back to the orphanage, Evan runs from the police, including leaping over a turnstile to get onto the subway without paying.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A little bit of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least what sounded like 1 "s" word, 5 damns, 1 ass, 1 crap, 3 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "G-damn," "God" and "Good Lord."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • We see a miscellaneous clothed couple making out in a stairwell.
  • Louis and Lyla passionately kiss while clothed, but the scene ends there. We next see them snuggled up under a blanket, on a sofa on the rooftop, with one of Louis' band mates waking them up. Both are still dressed, but previous sex is implied, and that's confirmed when we later learn that Lyla is pregnant.
  • We briefly see some miscellaneous cleavage.
  • SMOKING
  • A miscellaneous person smokes, and another appears to be smoking in a photo.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • A bully asks Evan if he can hear his parents, and Evan says he can, but the punk says Evan doesn't have any family.
  • Mr. Jeffries knows Evan doesn't want to leave the orphanage because children are afraid of leaving such a place for fear that their parents won't be able to find them.
  • We see and hear Lyla and her father bickering.
  • We see Lyla and her father bickering in a restaurant, and she walks out. We then hear but don't see a car accident where she's apparently struck by one, and then see Lyla looking rather sick in a hospital, which is when she is in labor. A little later, her father indicates to her that her baby has died, but we later learn that he lied about this.
  • Arthur says that his mother took off with a crack-head in the past, and that she "never gave a damn about me."
  • Lyla gets a call that her father is in the hospital so she rushes to see him. There, he finally admits to lying about her baby dying 11 years ago. We then see a flashback that shows him forging her signature on the adoption papers.
  • When Lyla asks Richard if he has any children, he says he did, but there's no further explanation of what happened to them.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Unprotected sex and pregnancy.
  • Orphans and orphanages.
  • Musical prodigies.
  • How music affects people in different ways.
  • Street performers.
  • The film's similarities to Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist."
  • Dealing with bullies.
  • Mr. Jeffries knowing Evan doesn't want to leave the orphanage because children are afraid of leaving such a place for fear that their parents won't be able to find them.
  • Lyla is a music teacher but she doesn't play music anymore, and her friend Liz asks her when she is going to let herself be happy again.
  • Arthur says that his mother took off with a crack-head in the past, and that she "never gave a damn about me."
  • VIOLENCE
  • A bully at the orphanage picks on another kid, calls him "Porky," and kicks him on the clothed butt.
  • Following a heard but unseen car accident where she's apparently struck by one, we see Lyla looking rather sick in a hospital, which is when she is in labor. A little later, her father indicates to her that her baby has died, but we later learn that he lied about this.
  • Evan is nearly hit by a car while crossing the street, and one then does bump him down to the pavement, but he's otherwise okay.
  • Upset that the kids have a pizza without his permission, Wizard throws a switchblade that lands in the floor by them, all to show his displeasure.
  • Tired of his former band mate always blaming their failure on him leaving, Louis repeatedly pushes that other man backwards, urging him to hit him, so the man does, punching him in the face, leaving Louis with a slightly bloody lip.
  • Wizard grabs Evan by his jacket, telling him he'll play what he says he'll play, and breathe when he says he'll breathe. He then pushes him back against a chain link fence in a menacing fashion.
  • To allow Evan to escape, Wizard pushes a cop down into some trash so the boy can run by them.
  • To try to keep Evan from leaving, Wizard tells him that the boy's parents are dead. When Evan says he's leaving anyway, Wizard starts coming after him, but Arthur then hits Wizard over the back with a guitar that breaks upon impact, allowing Evan to escape.



  • Reviewed November 1, 2007 / Posted November 21, 2007

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