Amazed.

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2015)

This is the first time that I've seen this movie. I just finished watching it and I've been sitting here mesmerized ever since. See, I was all mopey and upset over life drama and I went to amazon to find something generic to help me fall asleep.
Well, I'm still awake. And I'm still pondering the entirety of this film. I absolutely do not want to give away any spoilers, but I absolutely want to share this beauty with the world. It just got everything RIGHT. The daughter. The execs. The bonds. The lack of depression and drama in the middle. I kept hoping that everything wouldn't fail and be destroyed and that things would actually go okay for people. And I was not only impressed, but I was not let down. Everything went how it should. Yes, there were tears and resentment and anger. But there was this coming-of-age thing and an enlightenment thing and an aha! thing and an I get it thing. I'm blown away. The sweetness and tenderness of this movie stole my heart. I believed every single actor every single time. The little moments were so right.
That look between Mark and Keira. That single second in time is my favorite I've seen. Because they chose correctly. And it was brilliant and beautiful and real and honest. Ahhh.
I indeed loved this film, but I have to give it 9/10 stars because I'm nitpicking on two things that shouldn't even be looked at as negatives. Kind of like a, "if I MUST find SOMETHING wrong..." scenario. One is that I thought the kids being involved in the one scene (I'm trying to leave out spoilers) seemed a tiny bit forced to me. Like an episode of Glee where everyone comes together to spontaneously sing a bit too well. It should have warmed my heart but I just felt awkward for them. Sorry. Hate me. The second was that I didn't think Dan's daughter should have been a child prodigy so fast. I wanted more of a back story and for her to be shy and nervous and screw up a few times and then she could learn her ultimate passion for it. I loved her relationship with Greta. I just wish we saw a few more minutes of her evolving before she was evolved.
All in all, I am keeping this special film in my pocket for the future. It was truly a feel-good movie, but it was so much more than that. It made me cry at the sheer goodness of it. The music, the relationships, the little things. I loved it all. I wasn't sure why Keira had to dress like she was a middle aged woman in the 90's at times, but she made it work so well.
Basically what I am saying is that I adored every second of this. I'm going to go to sleep now.