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| August Rush | 
 enlarge | Actors: Freddie Highmore, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $8.86
You Save: $11.12 (56%)
New (45) Used (21) Collectible (1) from $7.70
Avg. Customer Rating:  246 reviews
Sales Rank: 122
Format: Ac-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 113
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: WARD018552D
UPC: 012569763685
EAN: 0012569763685
ASIN: B00133KFGW
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: March 11, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: ******BRAND NEW****** ** Over 1.5 million orders shipped worldwide and more than 500 000 items in stock, BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE, ESTABLISHED SINCE 1998 - INETVIDEO ~~~
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| Customer Reviews:
 ...a heart-warming film with a rich narrative, visually diverse settings, and a lush original music score. December 2, 2007
20 out of 20 found this review helpful
11-year-old Evan wants nothing more in life than to find his parents, or for them to find him. Labeled a freak by his fellow boys home residents it isn't long before he finds himself on the streets of New York in search of the mother and father he never knew. Like a fish out of water, the sights and sounds of the city that never sleeps are at once overwhelming and intoxicating. In every thumping foot, squealing tire, barking dog and rattling chain he hears a rhythm. Music. Harmonics no one hears but him. He knows if he just follows the music somehow his parents will find him. What he doesn't know is that his parents have no idea he exists.
Ten years ago his mother, Lyla (Keri Russell), a gifted celoist, was a young prodigy herself when she met Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), the talented lead singer and guitarist for an Irish rock band. Immediately they share a bond, and their night together changes everything. Can the power of music bring this family of strangers back together again?
Don't let the somewhat un-inspiring title August Rush fool you. This movie is a heart-warming film with a rich narrative, visually diverse settings, and a lush original music score. Freddie Highmore's spot-on performance as Evan, who soon takes up the moniker August Rush, immediately invokes our sympathy. We truly care what happens to this bright-eyed, innocent boy who hasn't let himself become jaded by his harsh environment. (If he looks familiar it's probably because of his Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Finding Neverland fame. He played the lead child roles in both.)
But it's not just Highmore who carries this movie. Every actor nails their role beautifully. Keri Russell (perhaps known best for the TV show Felicity) is a natural on the screen, skillfully bringing to life the character of Lyla both as a naive young woman and a passionate mother. Robin Williams' supporting role as a music pimp to a brood of unwanted yet musically gifted children cinches that he can play the deeper roles right alongside his lighter comedy ones. You'll also want to take notice of Terrence Howard's performance as social worker Richard Jeffries, a man in the system who genuinely cares for the kids under his care but often finds his hands frustratingly tied.
A few times suspension of disbelief is called for as August Rush is more about the fantastic than the realistic. It's a little hard to believe Evan is able to play both the guitar and organ like a master (not to mention conduct an orchestra) without ever having seen or touched the instruments before in his life. But you really don't mind. This movie has enough heart to carry it above and beyond those moments. Its portrayal of music's magic, that powerful tug on the human heart and soul, sets it apart from your average film tackling the same subjects.
Parents will appreciate the filmmaker's tact in portraying Lyla and Louis' one-night stand. No more than the beginnings of a passionate kiss are shown. A few swear words (h-- and d--) probably aren't appropriate for youngsters since several are uttered by children, but they really did have their place in showing you the hard existence of some of the street kids.
August Rush reminds us that amidst the hardships there truly is some good left in this world. You'll come away from this movie with a greater appreciation of music's power, not to mention the power of love and family. Definitely worth seeing more than once.
--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for TitleTrakk
 My out of sync review of the universal sounds of AUGUST RUSH January 11, 2008
19 out of 45 found this review helpful
There is a certain beat that goes on in the universe;a certain music that if one is atuned to it will bring everything just right.Evan Taylor (Freddie Highmore) knows this;he feels this with every fiber of his being,and this orphan knows that the voice of his parents,both musicians (Keri Russell and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) both call out to him at night.He has never known them,they have never known him (in fact Russell thinks he is dead and Meyers never was informed of a pregnancy as far as I could tell)but he feels them in the talking of the wind,the watching of the moon,the moving of the wheat in the fields...etc.
I couldn't buy this earnest film for one minute.I found the story,itself, to be so full of holes, that swiss cheese had better consistency than this film.I understand the premise of this film,and it is certainly not without merit,but I will only suspend belief only so far.AUGUST RUSH seemed to be a 2007 version of "Oliver Twist" and "Annie" with a neat and sharply edited soundtrack to make up for it's totally implausible premise.As a musician,myself,who went to conservatory,I could
not buy Keri Russell performing the Elgar Cello Concerto,much less getting an invite to the prestigious Central Park Concert after an eleven year hiatus from her cello.Only the "being in sync with the universal rhythm" could have pulled that one off.Jacqueline DuPre,as talented as she was,could not have done that in her lifetime! Evan,whose name is changed to "August Rush" by a Faginesque Robin Williams,learns instantly to play the guitar like a pro and his genius is discovered and exploited when he brings his tips back to Robin Williams, who houses UNDETECTED street urchin musicians in an abandoned Manhattan Theatre.
The final and biggest hole occurs at the end when Jonathan Rhys Meyers is musically drawn to the concert in the park where Evan "August" is conducting his inspired rhapsody that just came to him.Meyers serendipitously pushes his way to the front of the enormous crowd there to find Keri Russell after eleven years,he grabs her hand,nods to August....hello? did anyone ever tell him that HE was the father of this child?
For all of the smart editing and clever ideas that this film had, the story itself is pure ridiculous.The only thing that impressed me was that Jonathan Rhys -Meyers performed his own vocals.Highmore and Russell very obviously are not really performing and the quick edits hope to dazzle the viewer and keep them off balance from that fact.Some of the cuts of Russell playing both the Bach E Major Concerto and The Edward Elgar Concerto are deplorable with incorrect hand positions and simply on the wrong strings.Some people won't notice or even care about such things, but when you study music this film is like a history major seeing Ben-Hur with a wrist watch on! The editors were savvy to cut in and out in the music sequences in order to get that dizzying effect of the swirling of music, but all the guitar and cello coaching did not remotely pay off for me.Meyers was believable because he did his own work.This threw the believability factor of this film off for me.Meyers was spot-on, while Highmore and Russell were not.Why not find three REAL musicians?
Was this film destined to end on the right note? Yeah...there was never a doubt about it.It struck all the wrong chords with me.Cheesy and hokey are words that come to mind,but,hey,it's only a film .You won't get upset with my humble opinion as long as you are flowing with the rhythm of the universe.I am obviously out of sync and freely admit it!Here come the hateful votes...I can feel you wanting to push that button!
The Fantasy of a Child Prodigy March 19, 2008
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
And the language is music. Beautiful music. A seamless combination of classical and rock-n-roll music lies behind the tale. It's the love story of two musicians as dreamed by a lost child, who discovers his musical gifts through everything and everyone around him. The lesson is about listening to your heart and staying true to your dream. There's no room for greed and disingenuous intentions. Mistakes can be forgiven and lessons learned.
Every actor in this film is as lovely as the fanciful story, and love oozes from every note. I've watched it twice and both times, my heart was filled with joy. August Rush is one for the ages and excellent viewing for the entire family. My highest recommendation.
Michele Cozzens, Author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I'd Said.
 Horrible movie...for the entire family!!!!! May 19, 2008
14 out of 32 found this review helpful
If you just open yourself to the music, you can pick up a guitar for the first time and within two minutes be an expert. And within a few weeks, you will not only know the definition of the word rhapsody, you will be conducting an orchestra representing Julliard in Central Park to perform a rhapsody YOU wrote for thousands of awed listeners. If you have a gift, it really requires absolutely no work. You will just be good automatically. You writing this down kids? Make sure you tell this to your teachers when you tell them you havent done your homework. You are GIFTED...you dont need to do any work.
And you know what else? If you are talented, good looking, cool, and perhaps have a little tortured soul thrown in, you can sit on a rooftop, meet a gorgeous female, tell her your name along with some ridiculously cheesy lines, and immediately have "marital relations" with her...and everything will turn out great in the end.
Great fun for the entire family!!! Hooray!
So many disbelievable occurances happened in this farce of a film, but I think I should name one more. Lyla's father signed away the baby, forging her name, which in itself is nearly impossible. A doctor would have to witness her signing the papers. But beyond that, does anyone realize how long the line is to adopt an infant in this country? It's staggering. So why was Evan still a ward of the state at 11 years of age? Baloney...he would have been in the arms of a caring mother and father from day 1. Asking us to suspend our belief is one thing, but this film asked us to be idiots.
Oh, I must admit one of my shortcomings here. When Even (aka August)was fleeing from Wizard in the subway and his buddy, Arthur, yelled to him "Run August Run", I did not stand and immediately throw rotten food at the screen. I really should have.
And if Freddy Highmore's agent is reading this....you should be fired for letting your client star in this joke of a film. This film has "career killer" written all over it. Kerri Russell is old enough to know better. What was she thinking?
August has a Natural Gift March 13, 2008
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
This movie is about a boy named (Evan) leaving a home for children without parents and turns up searching for his, through music. Born from parents of musical talent, learns music and becomes a composer then his parents end up seeing (August Rush) name given by his friend perform at a concert. Simply breathtaking with laughs, happiness and tears. Dont miss seeing this movie. I rented it and now it will be purchased. I call it a must to own. Stars Robin Williams, Fredie Highmore, Keri Russell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
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