Poetic urban fairytale intertwined with flowing music

Rating: 7/10 (7 February 2014)

For centuries, tales about people having nothing and obtaining a lot due to their skills and/or good nature have been popular, particularly if children are involved - Oliver Twist is probably the best known. Evan Taylor aka August Rush (heartily and distinctively played by Freddie Highmore) is a boy living in an orphanage possessing a savant-like ability to hear music everywhere. Through ups and downs, meeting different people while living on the streets, he succeeds in both his goals at the same time. His nature and environment is melancholic but beautiful, sometimes within protracted scenes, however. Ugly, bad scenes in connection with him have been avoided.
The other dimension, between past and present, are Lyla Novacek and Louis Connelly (performed by Keri Russell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers - amiably, but trivially), musicians of different kind - whose link to Taylor/Rush is not disclosed until the second half of the movie - and sometimes it is difficult to follow which part of their life is depicted. The ending of the movie with their imminent presence is breathtaking and sweet, rounding up all previous actions.
As for the other major cast, Robin Williams as Maxwell "Wizard" Wallace is convincing, Terrence Howard as Counselor Richard Jeffries is too plain (due to his character apparently). Music dominates everywhere, focusing mostly on classical pieces, diminishing audience rather than widening. Still, August Rush can be considered as a pleasant family entertainment, particularly if music has a distinct role there.