'Mr. Holland's Opus'
mitzvahs — before taking a and then he can return to his ul-
timate passion and goal: com-
teaching job by default.
On his first day at John F. posing his own symphony.
nd now for something dif-
Four years turns into
ferent. With the onslaught Kennedy High School, Hol-
30, as Holland flourish-
of incredibly disturbing, land reluctantly tells Prin-
MOVIES
es in his unexpected true
depressing and night- cipal Jacobs (the feisty
calling — mentor and
and
determined
Olympia
mare-invoking films of late — a
la Eye For an Eye, Dead Man Dukakis) that he got his teach- teacher. Creative flashbacks and
a great soundtrack take us
Walking and Leaving Las
through Vietnam, peace
sooner or later
Vegas
rallies, Nixon, John Tra-
somebody was bound to re-
volta, John Lennon's death,
lease that all-around, must-
punk rockers and portable
see warm and fuzzy film —
cell phones.
a la.Forrest Gump.
While there is certainly
Enter Hollywood Pic-
predictable irony in Patrick
tures' Mr. Holland's Opus.
Sheane Duncan's script —
In one of his best on-screen
Holland's son is born deaf;
roles.yet, Richard Dreyfuss
floundering students end
has been charged by
up as governors, school
the National Coalition
board head honchos and
for Music Education with
war heroes; the football
an overwhelming respon-
coach (played with warm
sibility — spearhead
comic finesse by Jay
the fight to reverse and
Thomas) minors in modern
heighten the awareness of
dance and saves the school
music and arts education
musical; and that all-im-
erosion in our schools.
portant fight for continued
With an excellent sup-
arts funding — you just
porting.cast and interest-
can't help laughing and cry-
ing mini-plots woven
ing (a lot) with the charac-
throughout, Dreyfuss does
ters, and then writing a
that and more.
check to the National En-
Mr. Holland's Opus is a
dowment for the Arts.
30-year opus in itself as it
Thomas (left) and Richard Dreyfuss have a 30-year
Even after 143 minutes,
chronicles the dubious life Jay
friendship and education mission in Mr. Holland's Opus. Mr. Holland's Opus is a
path of Glenn Holland
musical journey you defi-
(Dreyfuss), a fledgling mu-
sician and composer who "just ing certificate as something to fall nitely should take.
wants to make music the rest of back on. Holland's wife (Glenne
my life." For 10 years, Holland Headly), a photographer, consoles
took gigs wherever he could get her husband that he'll probably
Julie Smith Yolles
•them— clubs, weddings and bar have to teach only for four years,
Rated PG
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THE JEWISH NEWS
4
W
hy do bad things hap-
pen to good people?
Can faith persevere
over injustice? Why
can't we all just get along? Cry,
the Beloved Country, a remake of
the 1951 film based on Alan Pa-
ton's novel bearing the same
name, raises these questions.
Director Darrell James Roodt
and writer Ronald Harwood take
us on a highly emotional journey
through racially divided and im-
poverished 1940s South Africa, a
country where only faith can ebb
the tide of inhumanity that
threatens to flood the land.
Richard Harris (left) and James Earl Jones: A common bond despite their
The movie, the first to come out differences, in Cry, The Beloved Country.
of the newly democratic South
Kumalo's strong faith is lit-
Africa, centers around a black ter is in trouble, must leave for
pastor, the Rev. Stephen Kuma- the first time the peaceful Zulu tle protection against the haz-
lo (James Earl Jones), a wholly countryside for helter-skelter Jo- ards of the city and he is quickly
decent and gentle man who, upon hannesburg, where his estranged mugged. The situation soon
worsens when Kumalo, aided in
receiving a letter saying his sis- son and brother also live.