O Coro

This movie, released in 2015, had a brief run recently at Princeton's nonprofit movie theater. It's the story of the fictional "National Boychoir School" and features the singing of students from the local, real-life American Boychoir School. ABS has fallen on hard financial times, and if it needed an infomercial to stimulate a really big donation, this is it. The movie stars Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Debra Winger, and Eddie Izzard in the adult roles, but director François Girard and writer Ben Ripley demand little of their talents. The story dwells mostly on the boys, and one particular boy (Garrett Wareing)—a misfit who arrives at the school unable even to read music, yet such a vocal prodigy that . . . yes, you can guess the rest. When the credits rolled and it turned out the movie had some affiliation with the Hallmark Hall of Fame, that was one of the least surprising moments in a string of non-surprises. Leaving aside its dramatic shortcomings, the creators' generosity with the music lifts the whole production. Actual ABS students are used in the production, according to a local news story, and director Girard said of the school, "It was extraordinary to see them at work. What they accomplish goes way beyond music." A good movie for kids and a pleasant, if unchallenging interlude for grownups, too.

You're at the starting point of a walk through many movies (particularly this one and a certain immensely popular franchise) and still more works of Young Adult fiction. It can't contain any spoilers unless you were born yesterday. In that case, it may spoil the whole genre.

This should give you the general, not to say generic, idea. A largely orphaned 11-year-old boy with one or more unsympathetic parent figures is sent to a boarding school for children with a special gift. The school is located far out in the country, in a shadowy stone edifice of medieval design. All of the pupils are gifted, but our hero/surrogate is more gifted than the rest. The squabbling faculty includes a martinet, a mentor to our hero, and a revered Master. The Master, whose eyes may or may not twinkle, will become our hero's super-mentor and ace in the hole.

The pupils learn the arcana of their art in the classroom and practice it on their own till they can accomplish amazing feats. Among them our hero finds at least one amiable buddy, at least one garden-variety tormentor, and exactly one Aryan-looking arch rival whose malice is a bit thick. He gives the arch rival a well-deserved thrashing, but they do not become best friends afterward as in Young Adult fiction of an earlier era. In fact, our hero couldn't keep out of trouble if he tried (he seldom does), but it's all right because he's the most special child on the premises.

Now we jump briefly to another genre. It's the day of the big show, and the star is suddenly out of it. Our heroine (read hero, in the case of Boychoir) must fill in. She'll be all right, they tell her, though they're sweating bullets inside. She's got it in her, she knows the routine by heart. All she has to do is follow the maestro's eyes or the bouncing ball or something. She's going out there a kid, but she's got to come back a star. Yes, she'd blow it if this were only the third reel, but it's almost the end of the movie. So.

Now back to the first genre and the denouement of our hero's story. Through superior talent and a bit of learning, he has risen to every challenge. Even if he doesn't get a letter of recommendation from the Master (you'll just have to watch and see about that), we know he has been recognized as the greatest prodigy that ever passed through Hogw--, er, Boychoir School.

And that, unfortunately, seems to be what matters above all. In Boychoir, the protagonist's worth apparently increases in his father's eyes, as in those of the Master and the Headmistress, in proportion to his achievement. I agree with another reviewer, Stream-it, who comments, "The messages here seemed to be, very loosely, only those who become 'the best' can expect to receive the love of family and acceptance within their institution of choice. Didn't work for me." (Review title: "Entirely predictable...almost.")

The six stars that I've given to this film are mainly for the choral music, which is good as far as it goes, the photography, which is tasteful, and Kevin McHale's performance as Wooly, which is transparently right. Being among the few who haven't seen him in anything else, I don't know whether he's always the same or not. The four missing stars are for the narrative magic that wasn't there.

Every so often there are the stories of the "Battle against the odds". The plot line has been done countless times before in cinematic history and here we have another one. When I heard about this film I was under the impression that it would be akin to a "choral" version of "Whiplash" (I think others picked up on that one too) but how wrong I was. Rather than the music teacher being the "JK Simmons type" menacing type our music teacher in this film is more of a nurturing talent type.

The premise is simple. Our main character, young Stet has a troubled childhood but has a gift of a voice and can sing. When he loses his mother, his father takes him to an elite music school where he meets his mentor "Carvelle" (Dustin Hoffman) and there he learns to craft his singing ability.

Musically the film was simply breathtaking no doubt about that and it represents a return to form for Dustin Hoffman but the story was a little predictable as others have already stated in other reviews. It's nothing new and the feel-good film genre has been overcrowded for some time.

However this Is still something good for a night in with the family. Something that everyone will agree on. It doesn't take a lot to understand the ideas conveyed in this film. It won't win any major praises from critics but it has made me want to book tickets to the next Vienna Boys Choir concert

Watched the movie on the 2nd day of TIFF 2014.

Before the movie, the director and several actors showed up and talked about the movie.

Dustin Huffman said,"it's a special movie, we hear that a lot. But you know films can be special and not work. And it can be special and work.... Hope you enjoy."

I did enjoy the movie. It flows very naturally and smoothly. I would not say this is a great movie, but it is still a good one.

Everyone tells Stet," you have the voice. you have the talent. Don't waste it".

I guess this is the point. Do not waster your talent. NEVER.

Even if it only stays for a short period, you gotta use your gift!

I'm not sure why this movie wasn't rated beter, its an uplifting movie and guaranteed to make you make you cry. Dustin Hoffman at is best. A must see !