The Academy has owed Ms. Streep an Oscar ever since the Bridges of Madison County . We are sure she will be nominated again and from what we have seen so far, we favor her to take home the little gold fellow. We are also tickled that director Wes Craven, the master of the campy teen slasher genre, steps behind the camera in a character and sentiment driven work. Like Mr. Holland s Opus , Music of the Heart focuses on the impact that music has on the growing souls of young people, even those who do not go on with music careers. Roberta s efforts certainly prove that, and the most beautiful moments in the movie do not come from her fight to teach violin, but from the music itself.
Music is the salve for our souls.
It can express when our mouths are mute. It can uplift when our hearts ache. It can create harmony where we only see discord, and most of all, it can make us strong because it nourishes our heart and soul. This is the message of the Music of the Heart . For some, the film may seem overly sentimental, at times even treacly, but the metaphorical power of the production and the overall theme of finding and giving strength through the perfection of personal gifts create an important and inspiring message.