What I know going in:
1) Geoffrey Rush won an Oscar for his performance
2) He plays a professional pianist struggling with mental illness and an over bearing father.
3) The disc jacket informs me that Rachmaninoff is also a struggle
Why I'm watching:
1) Geoffrey Rush
2) High on the list of Best Picture noms from the 90s I have yet to see
3) As good a movie as any to watch while donating blood
Noms: Best Picture, Director (Scott Hicks), Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Supporting Actor (Armin Mueller-Stahl), Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Score
Win: Actor
Seriously, there are a lot of scenes where Geoffrey Rush, or his younger self, is wearing nothing or next to nothing. My favorite one of these was the sight gag when teenage David gets his mail and the his neighbor looks at him funny, then we see that he is only wearing a sweater and is naked from the waist down.
Biopics can be really hit or miss with me. This one definitely hits. It's such an interesting story about a person I know nothing about. It's infused with so much classical music, but is written and directed in such a way that even a non-musician can understand the struggles of performing different pieces as well as why David is a great pianist, i.e. passion. Considering how much of the movie is scored by the music being played by David and other pianist, I was kinda surprised that the Academy recognized it for original score, there must have been enough new material for it to count.
Speaking of the piano playing, one of the most amazing parts of the movie to me was that Geoffrey Rush was actually playing the piano himself! The two younger versions had hand doubles to play the piano, which is why you don't see the keys and their face in the same shot. But not Geoffrey Rush. He is such a badass that he is playing the piano while giving an amazing performance. And it's not like he's playing "Heart and Soul." He's playing legitimately hard pieces, or at least show-offy like "Flight of the Bumble Bee." Don't believe me, check the credits. The hand doubles for the other actors are listed, then for Mr. Rush the hand double is Geoffrey fucking Rush. That clearly was the most impressive part of the performance to me, but the rest was solid too.
Oh yeah, Armin Mueller-Stahl plays a very nuanced, yet mostly unlikable father. Both emotionally and physically abusive, plus never knowing whether he's going to be loving or aggressive, it's no wonder David suffered. He even brings himself to the brink of collapse when he performs Rachmaninoff before he is ready.
Did I cry?: A little. Adult David (Rush) is walking with his father and he hops through the hopscotch on the pavement, just like he did as a child. I got a bit choked up at that point, though not to many tears. That might be because I was at the blood clinic and self-conscious...though I am not that shy about showing my appreciation for the movies I'm watching. Shock. Laughter. Etc.
Surprise appearance: Lynn Redgrave is always a pleasant surprise. Also, throughout the movie I was trying to figure out why teenage David looked so damn familiar. It took most of the movie, but eventually I realized that he plays Mr. Bucket in the Tim Burton Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (confirmed by IMDB). That cast keeps popping up in the movies I'm watching!
Playing catch-up again....another post should follow soon.
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