It tries very hard to be fanciful, lyrical, sentimental, magical, rapturous, romantic, heartwarming, tear-jerking and inspiring. The result, however, is a goulash of half-baked bathos.
Comment
11/21/07
August Rush (2007)
38
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:116
Fresh:44
Rotten:72
Average Rating:4.8/10
Consensus: Though featuring a talented cast, August Rush cannot overcome the flimsy direction and schmaltzy plot.
Australian Theatrical Release:
Feb 21, 2008 Wide
US Box Office: $31,529,568
Synopsis: AUGUST RUSH is part romance, part gentle fantasy, but this sweet drama is all heart. When young cellist Lyla (Keri Russell) and rock musician Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) meet at a party in the mid... [More]
Starring: Freddie Highmore, Robin Williams, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Director: Kirsten Sheridan
Reviews for August Rush
I dislike sentimentality where it doesn't belong, but there's something brave about the way August Rush declares itself and goes all the way with coincidence, melodrama and skillful tear-jerking.
11/21/07
Top CriticAn exercise in dissonance.
11/21/07
If August Rush is a fairy tale, it's an excruciatingly, sometimes hilariously oblivious one.
11/21/07
Will his parents, through a magical, utterly unlikely yet strangely compelling of fate, come running once they hear the longing in their little maestro's edgily hip, borderline Ani DiFrancoid slap-strumming? Far be it from me to state the obvious.
11/21/07
We need to break out a whole new definition of cheesiness for a film like this, augmented by fake tears and vomit gestures.
11/21/07
Unapologetically preposterous, but it is a (very sweet) fairy tale and Highmore is captivating.
11/21/07
Top CriticIf sentimentality were a cymbal, it'd be like having a percussionist standing right behind you and crashing every other beat.
11/21/07
Its exertions are too obvious, and its story is too contrived for us to swallow it.
11/21/07
A light, fanciful touch at times bolsters its "fairy tale" feel, but at times the story incorporates just enough "realistic" elements to drag the whole thing back down to earth.
11/21/07
This is the sort of movie that requires you not only to suspend disbelief, but to check your sanity at the ticket counter.
11/21/07
Think of it as a fairytale only with more of a ... oh, who am I kidding? I can't defend this.
11/21/07
I liked the movie, but I wanted to get caught up in it and swept away by the magic and it didn't quite make it over the rainbow.
11/21/07
Doesn't take long for the movie to reveal itself as an extremely contrived and predictable movie that tries too hard to tug on the heartstrings.
11/21/07
Despite its flaws, the music is the ultimate star of this film and Freddy Highmore is a highlight. He plays the role with a truthfulness and innocence that hasn't been matched by a child actor in some time.
11/21/07
Before you can say one night stand, a pint sized street urchin is a big city superstar. American Idol for kids.
11/21/07
An aggressively bad movie. There are times when it tips the scales of absurdity and becomes almost comical.
11/21/07
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.
11/21/07
Top CriticIt can be admired for trying something a little different from the usual family film, but in the end, it just doesn't work. At all.
11/21/07
Pleasant, emotional, fable-like family drama.
11/20/07
Latest News for August Rush
March 10, 2008:
RT on DVD: Call It, Friend-O -- No Country For Old Men Hits DVD
The critically-acclaimed, Oscar-winning No Country For Old Men comes to DVD this week, accompanied by a litany of fellow Fresh films (Lake of Fire, Summer Palace, Dan in Real... More...
December 13, 2007:
Fifty-Nine Songs Vying for Best Song Oscar Nominations
When they sit down on January 15th to determine the Best Song nominees for this year's Oscars, voting members of the Academy's Music Branch will have plenty of tunes to choose... More...
November 28, 2007:
A fanciful fairytale blending elements of Oliver Twist, Ferris Bueller, Peter Pan and The School of Rock, and likely to entertain and enthrall preteens for a couple of hours. 
More...
November 25, 2007:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Enchanted Conjures Up $50M Thanksgiving Debut
The box office bounced back over the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend as moviegoers spread their dollars across a wide variety of films which collectively helped to bring the... More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.
Wes Anderson on Fox
The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox
Win Glee DVDs
We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.
Win tickets to Cold Souls
Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.
Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser
Win the entire 007 collection
Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection
IGN RSS Feeds