Richard Dreyfuss's best performance

Rating: 10/10 (13 April 2003)

Sure. I'll admit, it was sappy. However, this movie is successful in that field. A lot of movies try to make you feel for characters (Autumn In New York) who are fantasy type characters that no one in real life is actually like. However, here, they've managed to give us a real person vibe in Glenn Holland. Holland, played like a God by Richard Dreyfuss, music composer by night, has just accepted a job teaching music at the John F. Kennedy High School in his town. His wife (Glenne Headley) is naturally happy for them. As time progresses more and more, Holland becomes more grounded in the profession he started off hating. Life begins to throw curveballs at Mr. Holland, one big one in the form of his son (which I won't spoil for you). Even Mr. Holland's brief encounter with one of his students is played out so well that you almost cry for both of them. The end is everything we've built up to. Some people may even cry. I just found the whole movie to be perfect. It was exactly what I look for in a movie, and I'll watch it again and again. 10/10.