Miramax may have lost some of its iconoclastic edge as it has increased in wealth and stature, but with Music of the Heart, it proves that it has not lost the ability to take a true story and create an inspiring, sentimental cinematic experience. A lot of the "teacher in the blighted inner city school" movies involve men in high schools drowning in violence, sex, and drugs. In this film, we have a woman who has always loved music, who majored in teaching violin, but who put her music career as performer and teacher on hiatus until her navy husband left her for another woman.

Roberta’s teaching is not just for her students. It is the path by which she knits together a sense of self, which is independent of her role of wife and house mom. She emerges as a compassionate and demanding violin teacher in East Harlem. This is no simple task for Roberta. Teachers, parents, and students are at first unsupportive if not openly hostile. Her new lover leaves for a job out of town. Her boys exhibit rebellion and blame her for their father leaving. She can’t afford contractors, so she hires ex-cons to build her new home. Her mother is appalled at the idea of working and spending money to build a house in Harlem.

Roberta’s strength grows not only through learning to teach the inner-city kids, but also from gaining independence from her mother and the fantasy of the return of her ex-husband, and her growing clarity with her new man, co-workers, and the Principal.

Anna-Maria teared up through most of this film. Craig, who is usually more sentimental, joined her in a few moments . Rarely do we see a work that is not only based on awe-invoking true events, but is also told in a dramatic, powerful, coherent story. It unwinds slowly, but our sympathy was always with Roberta and her kids and students.

And who better to play Roberta Gauspari than Meryl Streep. She brings amazing grace and subtlety to her role. How can one ever do justice to her unparalleled skill? She is a master of those minute expressions that look so natural that our empathy is absolute. She expresses more character in the crook of her little finger than many do in their entire repertoire of techniques. The Academy has owed Ms. Streep an Oscar ever since the Bridges of Madison County. We are sure she will be nominated again and from what we have seen so far, we favor her to take home the little gold fellow.

We are also tickled that director Wes Craven, the master of the campy teen slasher genre, steps behind the camera in a character and sentiment driven work. 

Like Mr. Holland’s Opus, Music of the Heart focuses on the impact that music has on the growing souls of young people, even those who do not go on with music careers. Roberta’s efforts certainly prove that, and the most beautiful moments in the movie do not come from her fight to teach violin, but from the music itself.

Even if we are hearing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", our hearts simply melt when a bunch of kids from the worst neighborhood manage to produce harmonious sound. Music is the salve for our souls. It can express when our mouths are mute. It can uplift when our hearts ache. It can create harmony where we only see discord, and most of all, it can make us strong because it nourishes our heart and soul. This is the message of the Music of the Heart.

For some, the film may seem overly sentimental, at times even treacly, but the metaphorical power of the production and the overall theme of finding and giving strength through the perfection of personal gifts create an important and inspiring message.