August Rush

August Rush Reviews



Overall 4.5 star rating4.45 of 5 (by 38 users)



August Rush Review Summary

August Rush is a "haunting, engaging movie, despite an epileptic editing job." A 12-year-old orphaned boy is at the center of the story, attempting to "reunite with his birth parents through his musical instincts." Not everyone has the best of intentions in helping him, mainly Robin Williams, who is "downright mean" taking advantage of him and other orphans to busk for him. Keri Russel also stars in a role almost as unique as her starring role in Waitress. Reviewers find a "sense of magic woven throughout" August Rush and a "happily ever after ending." If there is downside to the film, it's that some reviewers feel they are left with too many unanswered questions. However, "the music tells the story."
63% of people rated August Rush as 5 stars
63% of people rated August Rush as 5 stars%
63%
24% of people rated August Rush as 4 stars
24% of people rated August Rush as 4 stars%
24%
8% of people rated August Rush as 3 stars
8% of people rated August Rush as 3 stars%
8%
5% of people rated August Rush as 2 stars
5% of people rated August Rush as 2 stars%
5%
No one rated August Rush as 1 star
No one rated August Rush as 1 star%
0%
95% 95% of people recommend August Rush 5% of people don't recommend August Rush 5%
 

August Rush Comparison

5 star rating Most Helpful
Favorable Review
MAR
31
2008
I never would have thought I could see Robin Williams in a role that would make me hate him as much as I did watching August Rush. He was downright mean ... and mean to a child. It's definitely not the Robin Williams we're used to seeing. The closest he had come to that before was when he was in Good... read full review »
2009 Advisor
Movie Reviewer, a storyteller

LauraBelle
South Elgin, IL
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3 star rating Most Helpful
Critical Review
AUG
10
2009

August Rush is about music and stars some appealing talent, so it seemed like a good bet, but it turned out to be just okay -- nothing special.

August Rush starts out with the chance meeting of Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and Lyla (Keri Russell) on the roof of a building where there is a party. Louis...

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 Moderator
looking for something different, into movies that tell a great story

bkovacs
Annandale, VA
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August Rush Ratings and Reviews

items/page: 15 | 30 | 50 displaying 1 to 13 of 38 sort by: most helpful | date | rating


7
helpful
votes
into Independent Films, watching with kids, a fan of clever plots, a woman

MAY
20
2008
When we first saw August Rush advertised, it was one of the few times that both my husband and I declared that it was a movie we HAD to see.

Once it hit Netflix, we ordered it and much to my astonishment, I found us both riveted to this movie. As an artist and musician, I found this film to be haunting and delightfully addictive.

The story is about a young orphan boy who is a musical genius in an orphanage. He is mocked because he is different and because he has hope and faith that something good will happen to him despite his horrible circumstances.

The movie then winds through the account of...
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5 star rating
2009 Advisor
Caprig
Podunk, NY



6
helpful
votes
into Independent Films, a movie buff, a music lover, a bargain hunter, Movie Reviewer

OCT
26
2008

With the majority of films coming out of Hollywood being dominated by sex and violence, it's refreshing to find a family friendly film like August Rush, a charming little film that is nothing more than what it pretends to be; a modern fairy tale, with an appropriately happy ending.

Evan Taylor (Freddie Highmore) is not your average, ordinary orphan. He is a sensitive young boy, who hears music all around him, when others hear only noise. Music is his one solace in an otherwise cold and lonely world. The story of Evan's parents is told in flashback, when his mother, a concert cellist, Lyla Novacek,...

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4 star rating
skbreese
Chattanooga, TN



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4
helpful
votes
a frequent film-goer, music lover, Lover of quirky, unique films

DEC
2
2007

August Rush tells the story of a 12 year old boy who having grown up in an orphanage, attempts to reunite with his birth parents through his musical instincts. He experiences the big bad world of NYC and meets some very interesting characters.His parents, both musicians, never knew of his existance due to complicated circumstances. once Lilah (Keri Russel) finds out she has a son, she too goes on a quest in search of him.

The cast includes Keri Russel, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Freddie Highmore and Robin Williams

I thought that the way the movie portrayed musical genious was phenomenal. the most cruicial...

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4 star rating
revital35
New York, NY



3
helpful
votes
a lover of quirky unique films, a pet owner, a true believer of faith, a frequent film-goer, Lover of quirky, unique films, a woman, a fan of clever plots, married

DEC
23
2007

There is such a sense of magic woven throughout the entire film. The boy is a prodigy and hears the music that is everywhere in his world. Many artists are defeated and robbed of greatness by the suppression of their unexpected genius. "Say it is not so", is so much easier for a child to chose. It has been established that most children regress in their visual art, as the criticism of peers and elders makes them doubt their talent. Only the very gifted can get lost in their own reality enough to break out of the mould and succeed with such greatness!

Anyone who has ever witnessed the cruel...

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5 star rating
Fiberannie
Bristol, TN



3
helpful
votes
into movies that tell a great story, a frequent film-goer, a lover of quirky unique films, movie buff, a believer of fate

DEC
6
2007

Okay, this film is very cute, but it left so many unanswered questions.

Instead of dragging the film out so long in the middle, I wish it would have shown what happened later on to each of the people who crossed paths with the main kid in the film. There were too many untied loose ends.

Also, I have seen films (or read books) that tend to be mystical or even magical that were very believable. However, I just didn't buy it in this movie.

If nothing else, the movie is worth it for the music alone... Who knew Jonathan Rhys Meyers could sing? There are also a couple of kids in the film (Leon G. Thomas...

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3 star rating
rulistenin
Wild, WY



1
helpful
vote
into movies that tell a great story, Lover of quirky, unique films, married

NOV
25
2007
Ok, I'll admit it. I may be biased toward any film involving music. Both of my daughters are huge music buffs. One is classical the other wants to play in a band. They play several instruments and are each listening to some type of music constantly. I was prepared to like this urban fairy tale and was not disappointed.

August Rush movie is for fans who crave an emotional "they all lived happily ever after" ending. It is not for literal minded thinkers (who will hate this film). The plot is unrealistic even though there are references to the National Center For Missing and Exploited Kids. (Kudos...
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3 star rating
pkmom
Strawberry Plains, TN



1
helpful
vote
a frequent film-goer, likes all kinds of movies, DVD collector, comedy fan, married, first in line on opening weekend, a pet owner, love chick flicks

NOV
25
2007

this movie was excellent from the beginning to the almost end.  i did NOT like the end, but did not think that it affected the overall quality of the film.  i thought the child actor (i'm not sure what his name is) was amazing.  also keri russell, robin williams, and jonathan-whatever meyers  were awesome too. 

however, if you like endings that are completely believable and get mad when you don't get them (which does happen to me sometimes) this movie might not be for you.  the ending could have been made better, that's for sure.


4 star rating
reviewer
Iwannababosstone
Wheeling, WV



1
helpful
vote
Movie guru, into movies that tell a great story, movie connoisseur, Lover of quirky, unique films

NOV
14
2007
   This is another movie I was privileged to see as a free screening.  This movie started off fun, romantic, and kinda cute with an orphan boy who feels music all around.  It was believable up until the orphan's character (later to be known as August Rush) talked about refusing to be adopted on account of waiting for his real parents to find him through "the music."  At this point he is said to be 11.   This was the start of all the nonscence.  Now, I did cry once... but then I quickly fell back into bored mode, of unrealistic events.  This movie is full of on-going, teeth pulling...... read full review »
2 star rating
iKitty
Sumter, SC



D
a fan of clever plots, character-lover, a movie buff, Every day computer user, married, a woman, watching chick flicks, watching with kids

APR
2
2008
First of all let me say that others who reviewed this and gave it 2 or 3 stars, apparently only like reality movies. If you don't like fiction, don't watch this. But really, in "reality" how many movies can you say are realistic, since hollywood has deemed romance and love as all ooey, goey and mushy, when in reality it's not quite as feel good as they make it. Anyway, this is an awesome movie and is one of the best movies I think I have ever seen. If you love music, especially guitar, rock music and/or orchestra music, this movie is definitely for you. Yes, Robin Williams does play an unusual... read full review »
5 star rating
reviewer
aruala43
Nacogdoches, TX



D
character-lover, a busy person, a woman, into movies that tell a great story, very picky about kids films, love chick flicks, Lover of quirky, unique films, college student

NOV
25
2007
I went to see this movie with my cousins on Thanksgiving.  The age groups were 1 (female) 10 year old, 3 15 year olds (two boys, 1 girl), and 2 21 year olds (myself, female, and one guy).  My uncle (father of the 10 and one of the male 15 year olds) was a DJ, the 10 year old and myself are saxophonists, one of the 15 year olds and the other 21 year old play guitar, and we all love music.  We were all pretty into it except of course the 2 15 year old boys because they had to be "cool" and we were in their hometown.  The only part I didn't like was the end.  If it's going to be that unrealistic... read full review »
5 star rating
reviewer
SmilieGul
New City, NY



D
a friend to the downtrodden, a true believer of faith, look for the good in people, into movies that tell a great story, a frequent film-goer, a woman, married, a busy person

DEC
13
2007

 

My husband and I rarely agree on movies.  When I  suggested August Rush, it surprised me to hear him say that he was curious about it.  We saw the movie and both loved it!!  It is somewhat of a fantasy in that it is not very likely for a child to be that brilliant, or for a couple meeting under those circumstances to  be so smitten, but it gives you insight into the mind of an abandoned child and lets you imagine the best of a bad circumstance.  If you want to take a child to see this movie, you probably will not feel as though the movie is too risque for him, and it affords the opportunity...

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5 star rating
reviewer
cullerpat
Strasburg, VA



D
watching with kids, into movies that tell a great story, Lover of quirky, unique films, a movie lover

APR
15
2008

I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true, this movie is about true love and how it will always find a way. A young boy, Evan Taylor, is put into foster care when his grandfather takes him from his mother. He grows up there, until he's about 11-12 years old and he believes that his mother and father will find him because of the music.  It's cute and it follows him as he runs away to the big city and he finds characters there that help him bring his music out. It is kind of a cheesy movie, and cutesy, but I liked it very much. I think Keri Russel and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers did a very great portrayal...

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5 star rating
reviewer
nydrom23
South El Monte, CA



D
a movie buff

OCT
20
2008

We I saw August Rush on HBO the other day I knew I had to review it. I had wanted to see this movie when it first came out but decided to wait until it came to t.v. in case I didn't like it. The only thing I regret is not watching it sooner. All of the acting is superb,  esp  Freddie  Highmore and the music is wonderful in fact now I'm going to have to buy the movie and the soundtrack to get it out of my head. I think this movie would be something that parents and children could enjoy as long as the kids aren't too little since there are some adult themes. This movie is truly uplifting and...

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5 star rating
reviewer
jmarksgirl
Inverness, FL



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