Music of the Heart (29 October 1999)
directed by Wes Craven
starring Meryl Streep, Aidan Quinn, Angela Bassett, Gloria Estefan, Cloris Leachman, Charlie Hofheimer, Jane Leeves, Kieran Culkin
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MPAA rating: Studio: Craven-Madalena, Miramax Script: Pamela Grey Music: Mason Daring Running time: 124 minutes Tags: Drama; Family Crisis; Harlem; music; New York City; violins Tactical strength: [4/10]
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for brief for brief mild language and sensuality
Music of the Heart tells the true story of how Roberta Guaspari (Meryl Streep) moved to Harlem to set up a violin instruction program. Roberta spent years putting her musical career second to her husband's naval career, but after he left Roberta for another woman, Roberta moves in with her mother in New York. She meets an old school friend Brian Sinclair (Aidan Quinn) who tells Roberta about a possible job teaching music in an inner-city school.
At first the principal (Angela Bassett) turns Roberta down, but Roberta returns with her two sons, Nick and Lexi. Once the principal sees the looks on the boys' faces, she admits that she would like to have Roberta on the staff as a substitute teacher, but the school doesn't have any violins. Roberta had acquired 50 violins of various sizes while in Greece and secures her position.
Roberta runs into some initial problems, but manages to run her program successfully for ten years. Suddenly, the school board cuts Roberta's teaching position. Roberta, her fellow teachers, and many parents organize a benefit concert to keep Roberta's program. The concert generates so much interest that the event gets scheduled for Carnegie Hall and Arnold Steinhardt, Itzhak Perlman, Issac Stern, and many other violin virtuosos agree to appear in the concert. Roberta keeps her program, and everyone gets warm and fuzzy feelings.
Overall, Pamela Grey created an excellent script that demonstrates Roberta's personality and her caring for her students, and Wes Craven (Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street) demonstrates that he can create emotions other than terror. Unfortunately, Meryl Streep never seemed comfortable in her role and always looked stiff and unnatural -- especially when playing the violin. But perhaps with all Streep's talents, she has correctly portrayed Roberta Guaspari.
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