Music of the Heart

1999
PG
2h 4m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

13K

YOUR RATING

Angela Bassett, Meryl Streep, and Gloria Estefan in Music of the Heart (1999)

Drama Music

After Roberta Guaspari separates from her husband, she receives encouragement from her mother to take up a job of a music teacher at the Central Park East School in East Harlem.After Roberta Guaspari separates from her husband, she receives encouragement from her mother to take up a job of a music teacher at the Central Park East School in East Harlem.After Roberta Guaspari separates from her husband, she receives encouragement from her mother to take up a job of a music teacher at the Central Park East School in East Harlem.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

13K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 5 wins & 11 nominations total

Trivia
Immediately following a phenomenally successful preview screening of the originalScream (1996),Bob and Harvey Weinstein offeredWes Cravena three picture deal, two of which were to be horror films, the last of which was to be "a petticoat film" (i.e. a costume drama for which the Weinsteins were known at the time) which Craven, a fan of classical music, chose to be this film.

Goofs
At the end of Roberta's first week of teaching, Brian visits her apartment to celebrate. When he enters the room, Roberta has just finished putting three large curlers in her hair on the left side. They disappear after the two of them kiss.

Quotes
Isabel Vasquez:[approaching Roberta who is sitting on a bench by herself at lunch after being shunned by other teachers]What's the matter? You got cooties or somethin'?
Roberta Guaspari:Oh, apparently.
Isabel Vasquez:Well, I'll take my chances. Isabel Vasquez, second grade.
Roberta Guaspari:Roberta Guaspari, I'm...
Isabel Vasquez:The violin teacher. I know.
Roberta Guaspari:So is it my imagination, or does *everybody* here hate me?
Isabel Vasquez:Look, it's hard to fit in when you're doing a special program. People figure you're not gonna be here very long, so they don't make the effort. It may take a while for folks to warm up to you, but they don't hate you.
Roberta Guaspari:What about Alice?
Isabel Vasquez:A - She thinks the violin is a waste of time. B - She's a bitch!
Roberta Guaspari:[laughs]So, why are you being so nice to me?
Isabel Vasquez:Ulterior motives. I want my daughter in your class next year!
Roberta Guaspari:If I'm here next year...
Isabel Vasquez:You will be.

Crazy credits
Please support arts and music education.

Connections
Featured inSiskel & Ebert & the Movies: Double Jeopardy/Jakob the Liar/Mumford(1999)

Soundtracks
Turn the Page
Performed byAaliyah
Written byGuy RocheandShelly Peiken
Produced and arranged byGuy Roche
Mixed byMick Guzauski
Arranged, orchestrated & conducted byDavid Campbell(uncredited)
Aaliyah appears courtesy of Blackground Entertainment, Inc.
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User reviews134

Review

Featured review

Meryl Streep does it again!

I liked this movie very much, it reminded me of one of my very favorite movies, Mr. Holland's Opus. Meryl Streep is excellent, again, as is Aidan Quinn and the actors playing her sons. Too bad Angela Bassett and Gloria Estefan didn't have more to do in the movie. I enjoyed the story very much and I would not be surprised to see Ms. Streep rack up another Oscar nomination.