Lack of credibility mars otherwise great music film

Rating: 6/10 (24 August 2015)

This is a music school drama about a bunch of spineless kids who cower in fear for their music teacher, who routinely pours verbal abuse on them. Not a single one of them has the courage to look him in the eye while he is doing so. Yet the teacher is hoping that one of these personality-deprived wimps will be the next Charlie Parker. This premise just didn't make sense to me, and as it was presented early in the movie, I watched the whole thing with disbelief. Other than this this movie does everything right though. The music is a joy to hear throughout, though jazz isn't my thing. Watching it being taught and practiced is interesting. The main actors do a terrific job and are perfectly credible. I just couldn't buy into the idea that a music teacher would expect any of the personality required to be a genius musician from kids who can't even look him into the eye.