Monday, September 05, 2005

Shine - 1996

The biggest flaw with this project is that sometimes a movie comes up in the rotation and I'm not really in the mood for it. This might be the best example of that. As a result, this review is probably more negative than the movie deserves.
Shine is the story of a brilliant pianist, David Helfgott. He's a prodigy that grows up with a very stern and notional father. The father's upbringing helps focus the piano playing but restricts the choices of the boy. And when David is recognized for the talent that he is, the father won't let him leave to a prestigous music school. David leaves anyway and is cast out of the family by his father.
The story finds David in London being taught music and preparing for a concert. David has selected Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto, one of the toughest pieces around. He plays magnificently. And immeadiatly collapses following the piece.
The movie isn't very clear, but shock treatments come into play. They only intensify the growing eccentricities that David is suffering. He returns home, but has no home to return to. He disappears.
Flash forward a number of years and David is in an asylum. He's very manic and has a strange facsination with water. He wanders into a club and plays an astonishing 'Flight of the Bumblebees'. Recognition of who he is follows.
Geoffery Rush plays David Heffgott and he's amazing. The manic chatter is very difficult and completly convincing. The piano playing is nothing short of stupendous. But...the movie didn't really move me. As I said, it may have been just when I watched it, but there it is. The best I can really say is that this movie is Ok.

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