“Boychoir,” starring Dustin Hoffman and Kathy Bates, is a new movie about a young boy with a remarkable musical gift. Time Warner Cable News film critic Neil Rosen filed this review.
Stet is an 11-year-old kid from Texas from the wrong side of the tracks. He is constantly getting into trouble at school due to his behavioral problems.
Stet also has a great voice, but his singing talent has never been properly cultivated.
When his mom dies in a car crash, he discovers that he has a father that he never met. His dad, who basically wants nothing to do with him, writes a big check, and that donation gets his son admitted to a prestigious music academy on the east coast.
Once there, Stet is a fish out of water as he continually butts heads with the other students as well as with Mr. Carvelle, the lead choirmaster, played by Dustin Hoffman.
Over time and with proper training, Stet's musical abilities are brought to the forefront. This young man, who has been a non-conformist his entire life, transforms, finally finding a place to fit in.
Director Francois Girard, who has made several other musically themed films, including “The Red Violin,” has made a predictable movie here, with a by-the-numbers storyline.
However, the film is elevated by several factors. The boys choir musical numbers - and there are many throughout the film - are quite good.
The performances, across the board, are also excellent. Hoffman's take on the revered instructor could have easily been a stereotype, but this fine actor’s finely nuanced portrait makes Master Carvelle a multi-layered character. Kathy Bates as the school's headmistress, Eddie Izzard as the Academy's second in command and Debra Winger, in a brief role, also shine.
As Stet, Garrett Wareing also does a nice job.
The movie does make the interesting point that the fine soprano voices that these young men possess are only temporary - so enjoy the gift while it lasts.
Too bad Ben Ripley's mediocre screenplay, which bears some similarities to “Billy Elliot,” as well as a kinder, gentler classical version of “Whiplash,” does not rise to the occasion.
Neil Rosen’s Big Apple Rating:
Two and a Half Apples