In a world filled with too many mediocre films, The Music Never Stopped is in a category of its own. The movie has power, and never stops moving the audience throughout the movie. It manages to fit the right amount of comedy in, while not losing sight of the story and message.
Not only is the story done right, but the acting is done so well, it makes you believe you are really watching the story and relationships develop right in front of you.
The movie is based on a case study done by Dr. Oliver Sacks, about a son who has serious cerebral damage from a brain tumor and his parents wanting desperately to reconnect with his son who he lost contact with.
In 1967, Gabriel Sawyer (played by Lou Taylor Pucci) runs away from home after getting in a serious fight with his father Henry Sawyer (played by J.K. Simmons) about their different views on politics and music. Gabriel is a hippie of the 60’s who is very into the rock n’ roll music scene, where as his father is a very straight-laced guy who grew up listening to very different tunes and blames music for the behavior of his son.
20 years later, Henry and his wife Helen (played by Cara Seymour) get a phone call from a hospital informing them their son is in serious need of surgery to remove a huge tumor from his brain. It is after the surgery that Henry and Helen realize the damage that has been done to Gabriel by the tumor.
Gabriel’s doctor tells them that he will not be able to form new memories, and he most likely has no idea of what is going on and of his current condition. After Henry is told this, he decides to do some research of his own; he is not willing to give up on his son. He comes across an article written by Dr. Dianne Daly (played by Julia Ormond) discussing the ways in which music can be used to help with some brain problems and injuries.
Dr. Daly works with Gabriel and is able to discover that songs of his teenage youth are able to bring Gabriel back to himself and help his brain function more and more over time.
The Beatles, Bob Dylan and mostly the Grateful Dead are featured in this movie, and help show how music is able to help Gabriel start to get his life back. During this journey, Henry and Helen are able to form a new bond with their estranged son. This is most difficult for Henry, as he hates rock n’ roll music with a passion, but finds himself changing his mind as the story goes on.
This is an inspirational movie that gives hope to all. The movie could have gone terribly wrong, but it didn’t. It captures the very emotional, beautiful journey that takes place between one not so ordinary family.
