Mr. Holland's Opus

Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is not the first time I have seen this movie, though it has been some time. Mr. Holland is a music teacher for a local high school, though it's clear this is not initially the career he wanted as he longs to write music. He finds a place in the school however, as he comes to understand the way that he can touch his student's lives and sees them grow. There are ups and downs, as with any life film like this, especially as Mr. Holland grapples with the reality that his son is deaf and can't share or hear his music in the same way. Even this becomes a learning point later on as a new understanding and acceptance is reached, leading to the culmination at the end of the film with his students performing his very own opus at the end. It could be seen as very bittersweet given the circumstances, but it truly is very touching all in all.