A Wonderful Fairy Tale of Music and Love

Rating: 9/10 (7 December 2011)

In the Walden County Home for Boys, the eleven year-old orphan Evan Taylor (Freddie Highmore) dreams on the day that his unknown parents will bring him home. He listens to the sounds everywhere and he is bullied by the older boys that mock him.
Eleven years ago, the cellist Lyla Novaceck (Keri Russell) and the vocalist and guitarist of a pop band Louis Connelly (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) spend one night together, but Lyla travels with her father Thomas Novacek (William Sadler) on the next morning and they never see each other again. Lyla gets pregnant but she has an accident and when she awakes in the hospital, her father tells her that she lost her baby. Louis unsuccessfully seeks out Lyla and coincidently they both quit music.
One day, Evan flees from the orphanage and goes to New York, following the sounds and expecting to meet his parents. Evan befriends a boy that brings him to an old building where he meets the exploiter "Wizard", who takes advantage of children that beg for him in the Central Park. "Wizard" recognizes that Evan is a prodigy and makes money with him, changing his name to August Rush since there is a social services agent seeking him out. When August visits a church, the pastor indicates him to the Julliard. Meanwhile Lyla learns that she has a son and Louis still seeks her out, and they both restart their careers of musicians.
"August Rush" is a wonderful fairy tale of music and love. I bought this DVD a couple of years ago and I have not given any attention to this film and only today I have watched it. The delightful story has pleasant characters and even the "Wizard" is a nice villain. The unbelievable plot has holes, like the exaggerated talent of the boy or why Louis is not able to locate Lyla, but who cares? They are part of the magic of this film. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "O Som do Coração" ("The Sound of the Heart")