AUGUST RUSH — ** — Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Robin Williams; rated PG (violence, profanity, vulgarity, brief drugs); Carmike 12 and Ritz 15; Century Sandy and South Salt Lake; Cinemark Jordan Landing; Megaplex District, Gateway and Jordan Commons; Red Carpet Gateway 8
The least "August Rush" could do is acknowledge the tremendous debt it owes to "Oliver Twist."
This contrived musical-fantasy borrows heavily from Charles Dickens' orphan tale, including a middle section that's clearly a revisionist version of the Oliver-Fagin-Artful Dodger bit.
Of course, it's one of the better parts of the film, which is so ridiculous and sappy that it defies the best efforts of a pretty good cast, which includes young British actor Freddie Highmore, who stars as Evan Taylor, an orphan hoping to find his biological parents.
After running away from his group home, Evan finds himself in New York City, with Wizard (Robin Williams), a Fagin-like figure who discovers the boy has untapped musical talents.
Evan may have inherited those talents from his mother, cellist Lyla Novacek (Keri Russell). Lately, she's been feeling there's something missing from her life. And as it turns out, she's feeling separation from Evan, the son she believed was dead.
Lyla's also recalling the one-night stand she had years ago with Celtic rocker Louis Connelly (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a brief encounter that produced the talented lad.
This is hardly an ideal Hollywood debut for director Kirsten Sheridan, the daughter of multiple-Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jim Sheridan. She's saddled with a script that comes from the screenwriters of the disastrous "Hook," and it features too many unbelievable elements.
That's unfortunate, because Highmore ("Finding Neverland," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") has a thousand-watt smile, and Russell and Rhys Meyers have chemistry.
As for Williams, he may look like U2 frontman Bono here, but his character has a surprisingly menacing and darker edge. Terrence Howard is wasted in a go-nowhere role as Evan's case worker, though.
"August Rush" is rated PG for some brief violence (brawling and fisticuffs, as well as some child-in-peril elements), scattered profanity, a few crude slang terms, and a brief drug reference. Running time: 114 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com