Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Mr. Holland's Opus
1995
**½
Director: Stephen Herek
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas, Olympia Dukakis

Mr. Holland is a composer who is absolutely obsessed with music. So he is understandably devastated to find out that his son is deaf. This drama is well-acted and touching but also terribly schmalzy and manipulative. The climactic American Symphony is rather underwhelming.