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Movies / On DVD / Music of the Heart
Music of the Heart

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Music of the Heart (1999)

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Reviews Counted:75

Fresh:51

Rotten:24

Average Rating:6.6/10

Consensus: Meryl Streep's depiction of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things transcends, inspires, and entertains.

Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: After her husband leaves her, Roberta Guaspari (Streep) struggles to find a job. When she bumps into an old friend (Quinn), he tells her of a high school that could is without a music teacher. She... After her husband leaves her, Roberta Guaspari (Streep) struggles to find a job. When she bumps into an old friend (Quinn), he tells her of a high school that could is without a music teacher. She meets with the school's principal (Bassett) and states her desire to teach the children the violin. The principal rejects her, citing lack of funding as one of the many excuses why it could never happen. Persistently, she eventually breaks her down and fights to establish a solid, effective program. Ten years later, the program has spread to other schools and is a smashing success. When funds are once again cut and the program is threatened for real, Roberta uses connections to get the injustice printed in the New York Times. A benefit concert ensues at Carnegie Hall, featuring appearances of such luminaries as Itzhak Perlman, Isaac Stern, and Arnold Steinhardt. [More]

Starring: Meryl Streep, Aidan Quinn, Gloria Estefan, Angela Bassett

Starring: Meryl Streep, Aidan Quinn, Gloria Estefan, Angela Bassett, Cloris Leachman, Josh Pais, Jay O. Sanders, Charlie Hofheimer, Kieran Culkin, Jane Leeves

Director: Wes Craven

Director: Wes Craven
Screenwriter: Pamela Gray
Producer: Marianne Maddalena, Alan Miller, Walter Scheuer
Composer: Mason Daring

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Jul 1, 2003

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Music Of The Heart
  • Two-time Academy Award(R)-winner Meryl Streep (1983 Best Actress, SOPHIE'S CHOICE; 1980 Best Supporting Actress, KRAMER vs. KRAMER) stars with Angela Bassett (HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK) in a heartwarming, acclaimed true story of how one woman's musical gift affected those who least expected it. A single mother with little more than talent and the determination to make a difference, Roberta Guaspari (Streep) overcame the skepticism of everyone who didn't think she should be teaching violin to students in a tough inner-city neighborhood. But even after a decade of ever-growing popularity and countless success stories, Roberta and her kids must rise to meet an even greater challenge: budget cuts aimed at shutting down her valuable program for good! Also starring Aidan Quinn (PRACTICAL MAGIC) and Grammy-winner Gloria Estefan in a stellar cast, this extraordinary story will inspire anyone who's ever thought their dreams were too far out of reach!
  • Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for Music of the Heart

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    1 - 20 (sorted by source)
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    Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Brian Webster
    Brian Webster
    Apollo Guide

    Streep's extraordinary performance makes this the rare inspirational movie that actually is, well, inspirational.

    Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
    Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
    Atlanta Journal-Constitution
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Marc Savlov
    Marc Savlov
    Austin Chronicle

    I've always had a soft spot for teacher movies, and this one is high on my list.

    comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Jay Carr
    Jay Carr
    Boston Globe
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
    03/24/02
    Boston Phoenix
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
    06/05/02
    Shlomo Schwartzberg
    Shlomo Schwartzberg
    Boxoffice Magazine

    A generic story of triumph as unengaging as it is unbelievable in its details.

    comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Lawrence Toppman
    Lawrence Toppman
    Charlotte Observer

    Most movies claiming to be based on fact pour on the melodrama, but this one basically just sticks to the real story, which has all the emotional wallop that's needed.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Roger Ebert
    Roger Ebert
    Chicago Sun-Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    One of the year's most heartfelt movies.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Michael Wilmington
    Michael Wilmington
    Chicago Tribune
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
    10/15/02
    Margaret A. McGurk
    Margaret A. McGurk
    Cincinnati Enquirer

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Cinemaphile.org | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    David Keyes
    David Keyes
    Cinemaphile.org

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: CinemaSense.Com | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Cornell & Petricelli
    Cornell & Petricelli
    CinemaSense.Com

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Cinematter | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Madeleine Williams
    Madeleine Williams
    Cinematter
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
    05/26/06
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    Combustible Celluloid

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Harvey S. Karten
    Harvey S. Karten
    Compuserve

    Doesn't revolve around a self-centered main character or possess the schmaltz of Mr. Holland's Opus.

    Full Review Source: Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) | comment Comment
    07/02/04
    Judith Egerton
    Judith Egerton
    Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Critical Eye | comment Comment
    02/14/01
    Mark Freeman
    Mark Freeman
    Critical Eye

    Music of the Heart doesn't take you anywhere you haven't been before, but it's still an enjoyable ride.

    Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Philip Wuntch
    Philip Wuntch
    Dallas Morning News
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    The key to Meryl Streep's fine performance is that she makes Guaspari unheroically ordinary. Ultimately that makes her even more extraordinary.

    Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Steven Rosen
    Steven Rosen
    Denver Post
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Streep is such a compelling presence.

    Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Jeff Vice
    Jeff Vice
    Deseret News, Salt Lake City
     
     
    1 - 20 (sorted by source)
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