The Music Never Stopped

This is a good film about neuroscience and music, father and son relationships, and commitment, based on Oliver Sachs' book.

The plot is based on the true story of Gabriel Sawyer, who has a tumor that destroys his hippocampus meaning that new memories are impossible. However, when music plays he remembers his life 20 years before.

This is evocative, nostalgic, and has a warmth and charm to it that you would be hard-pressed not to like. It is a simple, small, film that carries its message well - and for those who love 60s music you do get a chance to sing along to some great song, even Desolation Row...

The relationships are at the core of this and JK Simmonds is great as the father who is struggling to understand, and Lou Taylor Pucci seems to enjoy the challenge and conviction his part demands.

All in all, this is an interesting film, and the soundtrack is awesome....

The idea is hope. The year is 1986 and Gabe, a mid 30's former hippe has just been located after 20 years on the road. His parents are typical; his father was a war veteran who thinks that nothing he did was ever wrong and his mother just wished she knew the right words to say.

Through music the characters learn what is important; the moments to remember, the moments to change, the moments that will scuplt their souls.

I cannot express enough how uplifting this movie was. Anyone who is a fan of music and anyone who just needs a bright spot in their day needs to see this.

I was a child of the 60s, grew up in the 70s, made most of my life's mistakes in the 80s, but also learned an awful lot about life those three decades. That time period made me who I am today. I don't take much for granted. I played a LOT outside as a child, my mind was not desensitized by video games. My growing years were filled with music about the reason for war and the wrongs of war. Popular songs about love were poetic, meanings often hidden, and not in your face expletives.

Having said all that, this movie reached me deep inside. Music was always a part of my life... from day one. My father liked Glenn Miller and my mother loved Elvis. To this day I love that music too, as well as my own preferences with which I grew up. Despite my father never liking the Beatles, they are my favorite band of all time to this day. I think he objected to their hair. My father had a 30 year career in the U.S. Army. He served at the end of WWII, the Korean conflict and Vietnam. My love of the anti-war songs were not in rebellion to what he was doing, but instead reassured everyone that we found our American soldiers more valuable than whatever it was we were fighting for in Vietnam. Now my stepson is at the end of his tour of Afghanistan. I love him dearly, and support what he does and support our troops mission, but they need to come home now. What songs today speak of our missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Libyan conflict? It's just not the same.

In the 70s, besides never setting the Beatles aside, I loved CSN, CCR, Joni Mitchell and most of the artists who took part in Woodstock back in 1969, as well as all the great bands and singer/songwriters that followed. Songs of peace, love and understanding.

I became a DJ at age 16 and after disco unfortunately changed everything and college was over, I worked a couple of years as a roadie and eventually became a musician as well.

I put my guitar down around 1990 and didn't pick it up again in seriousness until 2007. That period includes probably the darkest period in my life. I will never set music aside again.

Should I, God forbid, suffer the plight of the main character in this movie, my wife knows what music to play.

I didn't feel the need to review this film as a critic, because my experience with this film was more emotional than intellectual. If you don't have instant recollection of a moment in your past whenever you hear a certain song, this movie is not for you. However, if you do have a solid connection between music and a memory, don't miss this film.

Julia Ormond was good in this film as the doctor that finds the connection. However, the real stars are the lesser known J.K. Simmons and Lou Taylor Pucci who did an incredible job of showing the differences in generations and how the tables can turn when your ears and your heart open up to something new or something you hated because of lack of understanding. I think in all of life's steps on the road through life, denial is the most destructive.

Don't view this movie technically, you'll miss the point. Open your heart and your soul, and you'll get it. Enjoy.

In 1986, the conservative 65 year-old mechanical engineer Henry Sawyer (J.K. Simmons) and his wife, the housewife Helen Sawyer (Cara Seymour), are informed that their estranged son Gabriel Sawyer (Lou Taylor Pucci) has a brain tumor by Dr. Biscow (Scott Adsit) and they learn that that he is incapable to form new memories. Gabriel left home years ago when his father had an argument with him because he left the college night to unsuccessfully try to watch a Grateful Dead gig with his girlfriend Tamara (Tammy Blanchard) and his best friend Mark Ferris (Josh Segarra) and now he is completely disconnected from the world. Henry is compulsively retired by his chief and Helen decides to work to have money to pay Gabriel's treatment. Henry researches but the problem of his son and finds some good results through music therapy and he seeks out Professor Dianne Daley (Julia Ormond). Soon she discovers that the music from the late 60's and 70's, especially the Grateful Dead, is the key to connect Gabriel to the world. The reluctant Henry, who is also a music lover for from an older period, decides to learn these songs to bond with Gabriel. When a radio broadcasts a contest where the winner will receive a ticket for a sold-out Grateful Dead concert, he insistently tries to contact the radio to get the tickets.

"The Music Never Stopped" is a film based on a touching and beautiful tale of father-son connection through music. The first point to call the attention are the outstanding performances of J.K. Simmons, maybe in his best work, and the practically unknown Lou Taylor Pucci. The magnificent soundtrack is also amazing as well the discussion about bands from the 60 's and 70's and Grateful Dead. The film is a perfect combination of drama, funny moments and music. Any sensible fan of the music from the foregoing period will certainly adore this great little unknown movie. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Música Nunca Parou" ("The Music Never Stopped")

It's 1987, and when a long-absent son turns up with a brain tumor that robs him of immediate memory, his father (JK Simmons) struggles to deal with the past through the eyes of a son who is frozen in memories.

OK, Dead fans know the title; if you're of a generation that listened to vinyl, here's your homage to the power of records and the 60s.

Small budget written all over this, that is all heart and talented talent that has talent. Did I mention talent? Having seen it at Sundance Chicago, the director explained that he'd been studying neurological science material and THAT is reflected in how uncommonly well the young actor, Gabe, nails his role as a person whose brain injury sometimes clicks on... and off. Director spoke about the editing down of the tale, and I think we'd really like to see it expanded back to a longer film; there's a few lessons here worthy of more screen time.

There's a jaw-dropping "how'd they do that?" in here worthy of cheers and worth the ticket price. Hope they "expand" that for the DVD!!!

This is a great little film without special effects but packed with the true mastery of a small story told very, emotionally, well. Familiar faces deliver for all they're worth and well-done filmmakers techniques bless MUSIC with obvious "extra efforts" that put all of the money up on the screen.