august rush movie review

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

For Parents
For Educators
Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

Get the app
Movie Reviews
Best Movie Lists
Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best TV Lists
Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for TV
Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book Reviews
Best Book Lists
Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Game Reviews
Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Podcast Reviews
Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

App Reviews
Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

YouTube Channel Reviews
YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

Explaining the News to Our Kids

Family Tech Planners
Digital Skills
All Articles
Latino Culture
Black Voices
Asian Stories
Native Narratives
LGBTQ+ Pride
Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

August rush, common sense media reviewers.

Pleasant, emotional, fable-like family drama.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

For the most part, everyone behaves out of the goo

Two brothers argue and lunge at each other; a man

A couple kisses, in close up, and spends the night

The occasional "damn" and "pissed&q

Shots of signs for the concert venue (Irving Plaza

Some drinking in bars and social situations.

Positive Messages

For the most part, everyone behaves out of the goodness of their heart, though Lyla's father seems cold-hearted, and Wizard is a little creepy and cruel.

Violence & Scariness

Two brothers argue and lunge at each other; a man yells at children, flashes a knife, and commands them to keep working for him -- later, he chases down Evan; cops raid a dilapidated theatre to find runaway kids; bullies at a boy's home taunt a much younger boy; a father and daughter scream at each other.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A couple kisses, in close up, and spends the night together (they're shown fully clothed the next morning, cuddling); another couple kisses on a stairwell.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

The occasional "damn" and "pissed" and one "screw you."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Shots of signs for the concert venue (Irving Plaza); mentions of Juilliard, the New York Symphony Orchestra, and the Sherry-Netherland.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this emotional is fairly good family entertainment, with sexual content at a minimum and lots of warmth and great musicianship. That said, there is a bit of violence (a man flashes a knife at children), some social drinking, and a few iffy words ("damn," "pissed," etc.). And since the first half of the movie relies on lots of flashbacks -- which could be confusing for younger kids -- it's probably a better pick for tweens and teens. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (8)
Kids say (26)

Based on 8 parent reviews

What Is The Message?

This movie is now #3 on my list of favorite artistic movies, what's the story.

Ah, young love. It's the heady cocktail that entwines two young musicians -- Irish singer-guitarist Louis ( Jonathan Rhys Meyers ) and reserved, brilliant cellist Lyla ( Keri Russell ) -- in this imperfect-but-winning film. After meeting cute in Greenwich Village, they spend the night together. But morning brings the harsh glare of sunlight -- and reality: Lyla is whisked away by her protective father (William Sadler), never to see Louis again. Nine months later, when a pregnant Lyla winds up in the hospital after an accident, she's told that the baby she and Louis conceived that night has died. Only he hasn't. Instead, Evan ( Freddie Highmore ) is sent to a home for wayward boys, where he pines for his parents, believing he can will them to find him through his music. (He's a prodigy, able to tap into the harmonies of nature -- grass rustling, wind howling -- and command new instruments the moment he picks them up.) So when they fail to materialize at the dreary institution's doorsteps, he sets out to look for them. And with the help of a social worker ( Terrence Howard ), and the propulsive force of his music, he just might.

Is It Any Good?

AUGUST RUSH proudly wears its heart on its sleeve. Despite the lows -- and there are lows -- you just know there will be a happy ending. Allegorical and not altogether literal, the movie is part musical and part fantasy, a combo that doesn't always quite mesh. But the stars -- particularly Highmore and Russell -- are charming, and so innocent that you can almost believe a story like this could happen in real life. However Robin Williams strikes the wrong chord as Wizard, an aging busker, who, Fagin-like, rounds up a bunch of musically inclined street urchins, encourages them to play, then keeps much of their take at the end of the day. (Evan takes up with them, and it's Wizard who renames him August Rush.) With his hat and swagger, Williams seems to be channeling Bono by way of Saturday Night Live . The effect is humorous, but not for the right reasons; you keep expecting him to go off on one of his riffs to signal that he's joking.

August Rush does a great job of establishing the connection between Evan and his mother; in two separate scenes, they discuss how many days they've been apart, using nearly the same syntax. But there doesn't appear to be the same bond between Evan and his father (though seeing them play guitar together is somewhat moving). Director Kirsten Sheridan draws the link between Louis and Lyla much more clearly, making their coupling seem completely inevitable and, consequently, dreamy and meant-to-be. (Just like the movie's happy ending...)

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what kind of movie this is -- is it a drama? A fantasy? Both? How can you tell? Do you expect a movie like this to be realistic? Families can also discuss how the movie portrays music. Does it really have the power to connect people? To heal their wounds? Why? Can you think of other movies that depict music's enormous, and sometimes magical, reach? And, last but not least, what can viewers learn from how Evan keeps believing in a kinder, gentler world, despite his background and everything that happens to him? What's the big lesson here?

Movie Details

In theaters : November 21, 2007
On DVD or streaming : March 10, 2008
Cast : Freddie Highmore , Jonathan Rhys Meyers , Keri Russell
Director : Kirsten Sheridan
Inclusion Information : Female directors, Female actors
Studio : Warner Bros.
Genre : Drama
Topics : Music and Sing-Along
Run time : 113 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : some thematic elements, mild violence and language.
Last updated : August 21, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Annie (1982)

Want personalized picks for your kids' age and interests?

Is That Music We Hear or a Tyke’s Beating Heart?

By Stephen Holden

Nov. 21, 2007

To describe “August Rush” as a piece of shameless hokum doesn’t quite do justice to the potentially shock-inducing sugar content of this contemporary fairy tale about a homeless, musically gifted miracle child. August Rush (Freddie Highmore) hears music everywhere. Whether it’s the wind in the grass or the roar of a subway, the sounds of the world are a symphony to his ears, and the movie’s soundtrack offers a Hollywood realization of a John Cage idea in which all sounds are music.

August, introduced as Evan Taylor, has absolute faith that music will mystically reunite him with his parents, who he is certain must be somewhere out there, although he has no clues to their identity. As we learn early in the movie, those parents — Louis Connelly (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), an Irish rock singer with a musical sweet tooth, and Lyla Novacek (Keri Russell), a classical cellist — fell in love at first sight and conceived him on a rooftop overlooking Washington Square but were kept apart by her conniving, ambitious father (William Sadler).

Months after their night of love, the pregnant Lyla is hit by a car and gives birth prematurely. In the most preposterous of the many ludicrous plot twists in a movie whose continuity is flimsy at best, her father forges her signature on adoption papers, gives the baby away, then tells her it died. Louis and Lyla abandon their performing careers and morosely search for they know not what.

In the meantime, Evan flees from a group home in New Jersey to New York City, where he falls in with a band of runaways living in the old Fillmore East Theater in the East Village. Here, Wizard (Robin Williams), the Fagin character in the movie’s “Oliver Twist”-inspired subplot, reigns as their cunning surrogate father who collects and distributes their earnings from panhandling.

When Evan, who has never touched a musical instrument, picks up a guitar for the first time and plays it like a pro, Wizard christens him August Rush, a rock-star-worthy name taken from the side of a truck, and seeing a potential gold mine exploits August for every penny he can earn. After the boy demonstrates the same talent on a church organ, there is no stopping his meteoric ascent. In six months he is conducting a symphony orchestra performance of his original composition on the Great Lawn in Central Park.

The movie, directed by Kirsten Sheridan from a screenplay by Nick Castle and James V. Hart, is acted in a style best described as overawed. Oblivious to persecution and exploitation, Mr. Highmore’s August glides through the movie with a beatific smile on his face. Mr. Rhys Meyers and Ms. Russell, who have no romantic chemistry, wander about in an emotional limbo.

There is a lot of music in “August Rush.” But except for a couple of gospel songs, most of it, including August’s “Rhapsody” (composed by Mark Mancina), is amorphous, pumped-up schlock.

“August Rush” is rated PG (Parental Guidance suggested). The title character was conceived out of wedlock.

AUGUST RUSH

Opens today nationwide.

Directed by Kirsten Sheridan; written by Nick Castle and James V. Hart, based on a story by Paul Castro and Mr. Castle; director of photography, John Mathieson; edited by William Steinkamp; music by Mark Mancina; production designer, Michael Shaw; produced by Richard Barton Lewis; released by Warner Brothers Pictures. Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes.

WITH: Freddie Highmore (August Rush), Keri Russell (Lyla Novacek), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Louis Connelly), Terrence Howard (Richard Jeffries), Robin Williams (Wizard) and William Sadler (Thomas Novacek).

Let Us Help You Love Classical Music Even More

Spend 5 minutes digging a little deeper into the best parts of music..

Take five minutes to discover the varied, explosive, resonant sounds of percussion instruments , whether struck, shaken, pounded or scratched.

Listen to the sweeping musical statements at the foundation of the orchestral repertory: symphonies .

Learn to love choral music — ancient, contemporary, gospel, opera, sacred, romantic — with selections from our favorite artists.

Looking for specific musicians? Check out Maria Callas , opera’s defining diva; the genre-spanning genius of Mozart ; and 21st-century composers like Caroline Shaw and Thomas Adès.

That’s just the beginning: Here are five minutes to fall in love with tenors, the flute, the trumpet, Brahms, string quartets and so much more.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

What's the Tomatometer®?
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Fandango at Home
Netflix streaming
Prime Video
Most popular streaming movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

Civil War Link to Civil War
Monkey Man Link to Monkey Man
Scoop Link to Scoop

New TV Tonight

The Sympathizer: Season 1
Under the Bridge: Season 1
Conan O'Brien Must Go: Season 1
Our Living World: Season 1
The Spiderwick Chronicles: Season 1
Orlando Bloom: To the Edge: Season 1
The Circle: Season 6
Dinner with the Parents: Season 1
Jane: Season 2

August Rush Reviews

August Rush benefits greatly from a delightful cast and John Mathieson's transcendent, fantasy-like camera work.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4.0 | Sep 2, 2020

Lay(s) on the saccharine schmaltz in broad, simplistic layers.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jul 6, 2019

A story that could steal the hearts of millions but fails in the attempt... [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Mar 15, 2018

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Feb 14, 2012

Essentially an extended music video, and with about as much narrative weight, August Rush is empty, flat, and pointless.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Dec 28, 2010

A music box trying to pass itself off as an orchestra.

Full Review | May 5, 2010

A heartwarming fairy-tale that is undeniably sweet, even if it occasionally crosses over into sappiness.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 27, 2009

"The only thing astounding about this movie is how bad it is."

Full Review | Original Score: 3/10 | Sep 8, 2008

Someone in Hollywood must have it in for Thanksgiving. How else to explain the cruelly timed release of August Rush, a wretched confection that only the most determined will be able to count among their blessings?

Full Review | May 8, 2008

While many films require a suspension of disbelief, August Rush asks viewers to terminate their disbelief without severance and have security escort it from the building.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | May 1, 2008

Its almost desperate earnestness actually turns out to be its greatest appeal -- August Rush does believe in fairy tales, it does it does it does!

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Apr 17, 2008

August Rush kind of feels like a 2-hour coming attractions preview. Lots of fragmented stuff happens, without ever connecting the dots in between.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Mar 10, 2008

...warmly affecting at times and almost unbearably saccharine at others.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Mar 10, 2008

It doesn't matter if you love music or inspirational stories or Robin Williams (anyone?) -- this is enough to make your teeth ache.

Full Review | Mar 6, 2008

More fable than film, there is no earthly reason why August Rush should work. But it does.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Feb 28, 2008

It's far-fetched and a leap of faith of Olympic proportions is required to keep abreast of the plot, but August Rush does deliver some charming moments, largely due to charismatic performances from Keri Russell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Full Review | Feb 14, 2008

Uplifting and heart warming, this is a perfect date movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Jan 22, 2008

A lot like a conventional musical, but the story is not conventional, it is mystically romantic.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jan 21, 2008

The excellent actors and good music make you think the movie will get better as it progresses, but it never does.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Jan 2, 2008

"August Rush" is a familiar, yet entertaining experience that works mostly because of the wonderful cast and the haunting mix of music.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 12, 2007

Cast & crew
User reviews
August Rush

A musically gifted orphan, Evan, runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. On his journey, he's taken under the wing of the Wizard, a homeless man who li... Read all A musically gifted orphan, Evan, runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. On his journey, he's taken under the wing of the Wizard, a homeless man who lives in an abandoned theater. A musically gifted orphan, Evan, runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. On his journey, he's taken under the wing of the Wizard, a homeless man who lives in an abandoned theater.

Kirsten Sheridan
Nick Castle
James V. Hart
Paul Castro
Freddie Highmore
Keri Russell
Jonathan Rhys Meyers
433 User reviews
133 Critic reviews
38 Metascore
4 wins & 11 nominations total

Lyla Novacek

Louis Connelly

Richard Jeffries

Maxwell 'Wizard' Wallace

Thomas Novacek

Reverend James

(as Jamie O'Keefe)

All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

Trivia August's unique style of playing guitar, which includes banging on the strings, was innovated by the artist Michael Hedges . Other artists have continued to develop his style. In the movie, August's first improvisation session on guitar is actually Hedge's song "Ritual Dance", played by guitarist Kaki King .
Goofs When August teaches an orchestra member how to perform his music on the rim of a wine glass, he grips the bowl instead of the stem, which would render it impossible to play.

August Rush : [opening voice-over] Listen. Can you hear it? The music. I can hear it everywhere. In the wind... in the air... in the light. It's all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do... is listen.

Connections Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Mist/This Christmas/August Rush/I'm Not There/Purple Violets (2007)
Soundtracks Prelude from Partita No. 3 Written by Johann Sebastian Bach Orchestrated and Arranged by Dave Metzger Performed by Steve Erdody