Mr Holland's Opus is a story about an ambitious composer, Mr Holland (played by Richard Dreyfuss), who takes up a job as a school music teacher to earn some extra money. Over the years, he meets many different students and learns as much about himself as he does the students.

Mr Holland's Opus is a beautiful film and has such a touching story. The plot was told in a very clever way. All throughout the movie we follow the story of Mr Holland and his wife, played by Glenne Headly, but we watch as Mr Holland stays put and all the students come to him. We get to see the diverse pupils that he is able to teach and how they are all different yet the same in a very special way.

This movie felt very realistic and the actors' performances helped add to this. There were a few times where I had to double check that it wasn't a true story. The many arguments, side conversations and emotions which wouldn't normally be shown in a movie, added to the authenticity of the story. At 143 minutes, the movie is quite long and at the end I felt like it dragged on a little. But I feel like this also added to the realism of the movie; it felt like we were watching a presentation or music concert where you were constantly checking your watch. If the movie was any shorter, I don't think it would have been as good.

If you are a musician, you will love Mr Holland's Opus. It will really inspire you to get up and play your instrument. There are many jokes which you will appreciate as a musician, although you will still love the movie if you are not a musician.

I would highly recommend Mr Holland's Opus to anyone, musician or not. It is a charming movie with an incredible cast and lovely messages.

Director: Stephen Herek

Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas, Olympia Dukakis

Year released: 1995

My rating: 9/10

Review by Tristan Carr

Last edited: 21/02/21