Music of the Heart (1999)
75%RT Audience Score: 72%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
5 wins & 11 nominations total
Meryl Streep’s depiction of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things transcends, inspires, and entertains
Meryl Streep shines in Music of the Heart, bringing to life the story of Roberta Guaspari and her impact on her students through music. While some critics found the plotline to be standard and the execution lacking, I found myself inspired and motivated by the power of one person to make a difference. Plus, who knew horror maestro Wes Craven could direct a heartwarming drama? Overall, a great watch for anyone in need of a little inspiration and a reminder of the power of music.
Production Company(ies)
Paranoid Pictures,
Distributor
Buena Vista International [us], Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for brief mild language and sensuality
Year of Release
1999
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTSS DDS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:2h 4m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 6, 1999 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 25, 2000
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Meryl Streep, Aidan Quinn, Angela Bassett, Cloris Leachman, Gloria Estefan, Josh Pais, directed by Wes Craven, written by Pamela Gray, produced by Susan Kaplan, Marianne Maddalena, Walter Scheuer, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Derek Adams, Kay Dickinson, Owen Gleiberman, James Berardinelli, Eleanor Ringel Cater, Susan Stark, Richard Propes, Dennis Schwartz, Tracy Moore, Emanuel Levy, PG rating, music, violin, Harlem, New York, underprivileged children, school principal, fund-raising concert, abandoned husband, depression, public recognition, educational movie, inspirational, true story, Isaac Stern, Carnegie Hall, white woman saves inner city children, racially motivated storyline, manipulative genre, horror, sci-fi, entertainment, TV shows, streaming movies, most popular, trending on RT, Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel Movies in Order, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Sea Beast, Black Bird, dangerous liaisons, warriors on the field, fair play, jewel, the champ, beyond the sea, war and peace, Blue Sky, Vatel, Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, Moon, 66 Questions, The Prey: Legend of Karnoctus, Confessions from the Hart, Hello, Goodbye, Everything in Between, Girl in the Picture, H.P Lovecraft’s Witch House, Stay Prayed Up, 18 1/2, Neptune Frost, Sh*t Saves the World, Final Caller
Worldwide gross: $14,936,407
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,811,267
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,584
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,923,802
US/Canada gross: $14,859,394
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,673,027
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,308
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,653,281
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,557,741
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,050
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $27,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $48,465,753
Production budget ranking: 819
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $26,098,808
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$47,753,294
ROI to date (est.): -64%
ROI ranking: 1,772
Aidan Quinn – Brian Turner
Angela Bassett – Janet Williams
Cloris Leachman – Assunta Guaspari
Gloria Estefan – Isabel Vasquez
Josh Pais – Dennis Rausch
Director(s)
Wes Craven
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Susan Kaplan, Marianne Maddalena, Walter Scheuer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
5 wins & 11 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (90) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (57) | Rotten (33)
Meryl dominates the proceedings. She simply disappears into the role, and the movie, for all its educational impulses, becomes about watching her do it.
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
The standard plotline of a teacher bearing the torch of liberal enlightenment to an educationally bereft group comes off rather dubiously here.
December 2, 2002
Kay Dickinson
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
There really is a Roberta Guaspari, but this dull, wanly repetitive teacher movie fails to bring her story to life.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: C-
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Music of the Heart is nothing if not a change of pace, and, unfortunately, Craven doesn’t appear entirely comfortable in these new surroundings.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
Streep’s extraordinary performance makes this the rare inspirational movie that actually is, well, inspirational.
January 1, 2000
Eleanor Ringel Cater
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
A movie that tells a story not from some Hollywood swifty’s febrile imagination, but rather from life.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
I highly recommend the film for those seeking inspiration, motivation, and affirmation of the power that one person can have on the life of another.
September 17, 2020 | Rating: 3.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
The vacuous but well-meaning pic is poorly executed and seems as if it were a TV movie.
September 4, 2015 | Rating: C+
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Touching story about a determined teacher has mature themes.
May 13, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
Tracy Moore
Common Sense Media
Meryl Streep received yet another Oscar nomination for this conventional biopic of the Harlem music teacher, directed by no other than horror maestro wes Craven.
February 12, 2013 | Rating: C+
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
February 10, 2013 | Rating: C+
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
April 9, 2005 | Rating: B+
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews…
Plot
The true story of a young teacher who fights against the board of education in her bid to teach underprivileged kids in a Harlem school the beauty of music through the violin. In her struggle she loses everything as the system comes down on her with all their might but her determination for the kids happiness helps her to battle back with wonderfully inspirational results.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Music of the Heart on Fresh Kernels.
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