Music of the Heart

Based on true events, Music of the Heart follows Meryl Streep’s Roberta Guaspari as she attempts to teach the violin to a series of inner-city students. It’s inherently compelling subject matter that is, at the outset, employed to rather underwhelming and unimpressive effect by Wes Craven, as the filmmaker, working from Pamela Gray’s screenplay, delivers an earnest yet palpably generic first half that’s been littered with often eye-rollingly run-of-the-mill elements and attributes – with this certainly true of, for example, Roberta’s efforts at winning over her more rebellious pupils and the character’s encounters with a villainous fellow music teacher named Dennis (Josh Pais). There’s little doubt, then, that Music of the Heart benefits substantially from Streep’s lived-in and completely absorbing turn as the engaging central character, and it’s clear, certainly, that the actress’ first-class work is elevated by her irresistible chemistry with love interests Aidan Quinn and Jay O. Sanders. (The movie also boasts superb work from a strong supporting cast that boasts, among others, Angela Bassett, Cloris Leachman, and Michael Angarano.) It is, as such, perhaps not surprising to note that the picture grows increasingly engrossing as it builds towards its tremendously satisfying finale, with the end result a true-life tale that ultimately does pack a far more pronounced emotional punch than one might’ve initially anticipated.

*** out of ****