Review of Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) by Stuartfernie S — 22 Jan 2009

Actually, this ?teaching? film is probably a bit of a cheat as although it focuses on a teacher, its storyline could equally apply to any number of occupations in which the ?little man? makes a major contribution to the lives of others while he himself feels somewhat overtaken by life, to the point where on the whole he considers himself a failure.

This is a remarkably honest and truthful film in which the main character (Glenn Holland) is not, at first, driven by an overwhelming desire to teach. It is merely a job which is supposed to allow him the time to pursue his true ambition ? composition. However, as he reflects on how best to reach and influence his pupils, he becomes increasingly involved in their development and their very lives. Success as a teacher comes with focusing on and caring for his pupils and their progress, putting aside his personal ambitions. With time he appears to accept that, while this may not have been his dream, this is his fate or best option. Life has overtaken him ? while he has been busy seeing to the detail, somehow he has missed the bigger picture, and because this is not the life he would have chosen, he fails to see the impact and success he has had, taking entirely for granted the care and influence he has exercised in his professional life, while nurturing a sense of failure with regard to his ambitions as a composer.

Rather symbolically he turns his back on the artist?s life and his youthful ambitions when he rejects the advances and proposition of Rowena, an up and coming young singer who is heading for New York and perhaps stardom. He appears to have come to terms with his place in life, his sense of duty and his responsibilities.

Glenn doesn?t have an easy relationship with his deaf and dumb son Cole, but here, just as in his professional life, he surrenders to responsibility and the underlying love and caring lead him to unselfish acts.

This is a warm and very engaging film which uses the familiar domain of school and teaching as its context, but this is used to paint a much broader picture of life, love, responsibility, how to get the best from people, and perhaps most importantly how to assess success and failure.