Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: DVD
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 1
EAN: 9780788818400
Format: Collector's Edition
ISBN: 0788818406
Label: Miramax
Languages: Array
Manufacturer: Miramax
MPN: DISD18310D
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Publisher: Miramax
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2000-04-25
Running Time: 124
Studio: Miramax
Theatrical Release Date: 1999

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!
Why, you might ask, would Wes Craven direct a conventional biopic about Roberta Guaspari, a divorced mother of two who created an acclaimed music program in East Harlem's troubled school system? After all, Craven built his career on Freddy Krueger and the Scream trilogy, and you won't find razor-tipped gloves or a single drop of blood in Music of the Heart. All Craven has to do is provide a safe working environment for Meryl Streep (who earned an obligatory Oscar nomination), sublimate his deft directorial style, and surrender to the banalities of Pamela Gray's screenplay, which would've played more effectively on cable TV.

To be fair, Music of the Heart (partially inspired by the 1996 documentary Small Wonders) serves its purpose quite nicely. Streep is flawless in a non-showy role, and the story of Guaspari's celebrated violin training program provides the requisite rush of inner-city inspiration. As a fact-based companion to Mr. Holland's Opus, the film is less effective but similarly engaging; you'd have to be cold-hearted to dismiss it altogether. It's best when focusing on Guaspari's school program and the 10-year struggle to keep it alive; the drama falters when dealing half-heartedly with her tentative relationships, notably with a journalist (Aidan Quinn) who shies from commitment. And Craven? He seems content to direct by the numbers here, leaving inspiration on the screen while forfeiting his own. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Rating:
Summary: Music of the Heart
Comment: This very inspiring true story touched me so much that I selected it for a gift. The order was filled, shipped and received very quickly. Thank you. Great job.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Very Inspiring
Comment: This is a story of a determined young single mother who as she takes control of her own life, inspires others, including her own children to accomplish amazing things. I love music, and this movie is very inspirational in every way. It shows what a little determination and hard work can accomplish in this life, against all the odds and against a system that is about to crumble. Great family movie. Great acting.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Violin Story
Comment: This is a terrific story for violin lovers and students (or parents of students). It's heart-warming without being sappy, and chronicles a real-life Suzuki method success very well. You will see and hear unlikely kids practising all the same songs your own are working on. The acting is excellent, making it an entertaining movie for adults. We loved it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Comment: This movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It is a touching, heartwarming story, and almost everyone can relate to something in the storyline.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Play from your soul
Comment: Being a music lover, I can feel the roles played n this movie. I love how the mother doesn't give up on her dreams to teach child, not to play music but to love music.I reccomend this movie to any muiscian.

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