How To Grow Your Geek: Parenting and More!

from the back of the dvd: “Music is everywhere, all you have to do is listen.”
There is music in the wind and sky. Can you hear it? And there’s help. Can you feel it? The boy called August Rush can. The music mysteriously draws him, penniless and alone to New York City in a quest to find, somehow and someway; the parents separated from him years earlier. And along the way he may also find the musical genius hidden within him. Experience the magic of this rhapsodic epic of the heart starring Freddie Highmore as August, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrance Howard and Robin Williams.
” I believe in music the same way some people believe in fairy tales. “  – August

I loved the music in this movie soooooo much! All though it, it really helped set the mood in places, and made you hopes soar in others. And it has a old song I really like called “Moondance.”

The whole movie revoles around three people. August, his mom and her boyfriend. As the movie starts, August’s mom; played by Keri Russell is a up and coming classic music player. Her father is very rich and has great plans for her. Next we meet a young Irish boy who is a lead singer in a small band, he is a very talented song writer and has a great voice. They have little money and are struggling to get their band noticed. They both meet at a party and it is love at first sight, very romantic.
They spend the night together, then she leaves because her father tells her she must never see him again, he being “from the wrong side of the tracks” as grandpa would say.

Nine months later guess what? Yeps. she’s pregnant and her dad is less than happy. (what a jerk this guy is too.) She winds up having the baby in a hospital, only to have it taken from her. She never even gets the chance to name it. She only knows its a beautiful baby boy.

Fast forward.

August is now a young boy who lives his live in a orphanage, always dreaming and hearing music. And always wishing her could find his parents; knowing they are out there somewhere looking for him as well. His mother, years later; decides she wants to find him as well. But she only has a picture of him and nothing else to go on. She has lost her true love and her son, very sad.

August is what dad calls a savant. It took me a while to find out what that means. He ’s genius when it comes to music, being able to play without having ever tried before; and is able to write music after seeing it written for the first time. (yea I know, i”ll get to that part.)

Though out the entire movie, all three people’s life in intertwined, along with the music. In fact the music ties everything together. 

August runs away from the orphanage to New York, hoping to find his parents; where he meets up with a group of child street musicians lead by Robin Williams, who is himself a Fagan type street musician that has seen his better days when he was younger. Now he makes his money off of the kids talents and hard work. Seeing August’s gift, he decides this is his ticket to getting back in New york music scene while making a great profit as well.

Will August fine his parents? Will he be a slave like the other kids living on the street? Will his mom ever find him or his father?

I loved this movie and was glad to share it with Jenny who had never seen it. And yeah, it is a fantasy; so much that goes on would never happen in real life. It’s romantic, it’s sad, and it is up lifting as well. Still, it’s not perfect…….

Here’s the problem I have with it. The main character August. He is just too trusting, and makes some real bad decisions, although he does start to stand up for himself as the movie goes into the second part. Music comes far too easy for him, yeah I know this is a movie and you have to suspend your beliefs, but still. Some places I was like, yeaaaaaaa riiiight. Ah well. Still a great movie!

I recommend this for everyone. You’ll like the music, like the story, love the romance and you will root for August. There was a couple words and one place was a little scary, so if you have little ones keep this in mind. But they went by fast and did in no way mess up the movie.

The soundtrack is out there too, was one of the first thing I bought off of I tunes.

I highly recommend this movie, and it was my first choice when we decided to do this marathon. Hope you guys like it as well.

Darcy