Boychoir

Could easily have become a schmaltzy variation on “Whiplash.” But it’s not, thanks to astringent direction by François Girard (“The Red Violin’’), an excellent cast and heavenly young voices.

There’s nothing wrong with being uplifting, but something less predictable would have been refreshing.

Hoffman's performance has a sadness, an unexplained loneliness, which gives this slightly diffident piece a centre of sorts, and there's a pleasing air of melancholy all round.

Hoffman’s role is an important one, but not a big one. He’s not called upon to bring a lot to the table, and, as a pro, doesn’t muscle up his part.

Thanks to a few exemplary moments of monumental acting from Hoffman, truly harmonious singing from the boys, and a graceful score by Brian Byrne, Boychoir is, at its best, a comfortable viewing and listening pleasure.

The Choir is decently directed, competently performed and mostly watchable, but it’s saccharine and totally unworthy of its impressive cast.

With "Whiplash" setting the new bar for depicting the rigorous discipline and competitiveness in a music academy, the stale, one-note narrative seen in Boychoir sounds even more out of tune.

I went the see the new Dustin Hoffman movie“Boychoir” the other night and I can’t say enough good things about it !! What a GLORIOUS film…..Among its many, many delights, it features music straight from heaven that will have you out scouring the nearest music store for CD’s showcasing boy’s choirs (and very possibly the film’s own fabulous soundtrack, which may well be destined for chart-busting best sales!)........Most of all this film is INTELLIGENT and full of WISDOM and INSIGHT....... It is also beautifully directed, shot and edited and features a remarkably credible and deeply satisfying script..... Director Francois Girard (of "The Red Violin" fame) is following here in the noble steps of another Francois... ..("Truffaut" in case you haven't guessed) whose film "The Wild Child", "Boychoir" closely **** a sort of contemporary version of the Truffaut film with Hoffman playing Dr. **** role that Truffaut played.......Indeed the spirit of Francois Truffaut seems to hover lovingly over every frame of this delightful film.........Hoffman has developed into an actor who is a master of understatement and subtle suggestion. His performance here is almost invisible !.....he keeps you wanting to know MORE about his character, while at the same time deliberately and resolutely concealing these revelations within an aura of intrigue and the effect is mesmerizing !........when he does finally "deliver" in a few crucial scenes, you hang on his every word! .... ....and finally "Boychoir" is a film that is badly needed at this point in time. Our too beleaguered and overwrought civilization needs so badly to reconnect with the humane values and wisdom that Francois Girard’s film envelopes us in……please go see this film and then tell your friends about **** needs to find its own audience and to be acclaimed for the remarkably fine work that it is... .....and then there’s THE MUSIC !!!!

Boychoir is not only intriguing, but also enters the role of a singing lesson, I'm pretty sure I've improved my singing technique with this one. Anyhow, Boychoir as a musical experience shows the big influence of art and his helping mechanism regarding coping with tragic and difficulties.