by Shirley Lorraine

Ruddigore Right for the Season

Apropos for the month of October, the Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company brings a production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic operetta, Ruddigore, or The Witche’s Curse to the stage at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks through October 20.

Generations of titled gentlemen, a long-standing family curse, ghosts, mad woman and eerie goings-on, the fast-paced actions give many opportunities for the actors to overact with studied sincerity.

The VCGCRC has offered all the famous pair’s works over the past decade plus and they are always a delight to behold. Under the expert tutelage of the dynamic duo of John and Rebecca Pillsbury, singers and actors take on the vocal challenges provided by the operettas.

As in all G&S’ works, the plot is highly stylized, great fun is made of many stereotypes, and all comes out well in the end, usually in unexpected ways.

The rich Murgatroyd family have been cursed by a witch whereby the current heir must commit a crime a day or endure a death by torture. A legion of ancestors have all befallen the same fate. The eldest son, Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, decides to fake his death and reinvent himself as a peasant, leaving his unfortunate brother, Sir Despard, to carry the curse.
Sir Ruthven, now known as Robin Oakapple, falls in love with a lovely maiden, Rose Maybud, but cannot reveal his true identity. With a cadre of professional bridesmaids ever at the ready for some nuptials, Rosebud turns to her trusty etiquette book for advice.

Meanwhile, Robin engages the services of his foster brother recently back from maritime service, to approach the fair maiden on his behalf. The two fall instantly and madly in love.
Misunderstandings prevail and a wedding is planned. Sir Despard is apprised that his brother lives, and Sir Ruthven must once again assume the role of the cursed Murgatroyd. Despard is then free to marry his long-time love, Mad Margaret.

Much haunting ensues when ancestors come to life from portraits on the wall in the second act. The ghosts help resolve the family’s plight and in the end all is well. And there is more to the plot to complicate, delight and confuse.

The lead role of Sir Ruthven is ably carried by company regular Gary Saxer, who has perfected the art of rapid-fire vocal patter required in a G&S production. A trio of Saxer, Emma Hall as Mad Margaret and Mark Goldstein as Despard is a highlight of the second act. Laura Barrows handles the role of the sweet Rose with a beautiful voice. Perhaps because of the vocal range, I found the men’s singing easier to understand throughout while still enjoying the purity of the women’s voices. Perusing the general plotline beforehand is highly recommended as there are continual twists and turns to follow.

A fine setting and outstanding musical accompaniment set this show apart. Do yourself a favor and go enjoy this delightfully different production.

Ruddigore, Theatre on the Hill, Hillcrest Center for the Arts, 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. (805) 381-1246, www.hillcrestarts.com. Tickets are $25 adults, $19 children/students/seniors. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.

Movie Review by Cindy Summers
Abominable

Breeze rating from 1 to 4 palm trees, 4 being best.

Abominable centers around a young determined female protagonist named Yi (Chloe Bennet) who finds a young Yeti on the roof of her apartment building in Shanghai and sets out to return it to it’s home, Mt. Everest, which is why she named the Yeti Everest. Yi is constantly challenged during her heroic quest by a wealthy investor named Burnish (Eddie Izzard) and zoologist Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson) who have their own plans to reap financial reward from capturing Everest. Through this epic adventure, Yi learns that with the help of Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) and Peng (Albert Tsai), and Everest’s special gifts revealed along the way, that anything is possible. Released by Universal Pictures, Written and Directed by Jill Culton, and starring the voices of Chloe Bennet as Yi, Tenzing Norgay Trainor as Jin and Albert Tsai as Peng.

Director Jill Culton conveyed conservation messages through the film regarding exotic animals and the importance of them living in their natural habitat. There were insightful lesson learned throughout the movie, such as Peng’s comment regarding Everest being connected to nature like Yi was connected to her violin, as well as plenty of adult commentary, like when Burnish questions out loud the integrity of his plans regarding Everest upon recognizing his unique, exotic status.

Chloe Bennet (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) was perfect in the role of Yi, as was Tenzing Norgay Trainor as Jin and Albert Tsai as Peng, as the animated characters were actually almost identical to the real actors and played a huge role in the realism of the animation – worth the visuals here to show what I mean.

The real star of this animated masterpiece is writer-director Jill Culton, who studied at the Character Animation program at the California Institute of the Arts, where she later taught animation. She’s been in the animation industry for 30 years and previously worked on other well know animated movies including Toy Story, Toy Story 2, A Bug’s Life, Curious George, Open Season, Open Season 2 and Hotel Transylvania. Colton began working with Deamworks Animation on Abominable in 2010, stepped off the project in 2016 and another team took over, then came back to direct the movie.

Abominable is a heartwarming movie filled with amazing visual brilliance and magical adventure the whole family can enjoy. It’s ranked No.1 on the Top Box Office list grossing $21M it’s first week and look for it to win the Best Animated Movie at this year’s Oscars. I would recommend seeing it in Cinema XD, which offers trillions of colors on a colossal screen for you to be totally immersed in this spectacular animated adventure.

Rated: PG (for some action and mild rude humor)
97 minutes

Movie Review by Cindy Summers
Ad Astra
1 out of 4 palm trees

When the government discovers earth’s solar system is on the verge of being destroyed, they call on astronaut Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) to save the world. Though proud to serve his country, Roy learns that the surges threatening to end humanity are due to the actions of an astronaut believed to be lost in space while on a quest to discover non-human intelligent life, who is also Roy’s father astronaut Clifford McBride. Released by 20th Century Fox, Directed by James Gray, Written by James Gray and Ethan Gross, and starring Brad Pitt as Major Roy McBride and Tommy Lee Jones as H. Clifford McBride.

After being briefed on the sordid details of his new mission, astronaut Roy McBride begins his ever long journey by taking a “commercial” flight to the moon where he encounters moon pirates on moon rovers who attempt to thwart his mission, but Roy’s rover survives the battle. Trouble continues on his shuttle to Mars when they receive a distress call and after bording have to battle man eating baboons in space, but with many dead and his mission partner severely injured, Roy remains unharmed.

On Mars, Roy records a message to his father and is immediately taken off the mission, his emotional attachment now being believed to be a psychological risk to himself and the mission. While there he meets SpaceCom base facility Director Helen Lantos, a Martian native who secretly shares more bad news about his father. Lantos’ parents were on the Lima mission with Roy’s father and were among those Roy’s father murdered when they tried to abandon the mission and return to earth.

Roy sneaks onto the ship sent to destroy his father’s ship, and ends up killing the entire crew to protect himself and continue the mission. Roy finds the Lima Project ship near Neptune and sets out to destroy it as it’s unstable malfunctioning anti-matter power source is causing problems throughout the solar system. He sets up the nuclear payload to destroy Lima and returns in spacesuits to his ship with his father, but Clifford breaks away in the transit and intentionally drifts off into space despite Roy’s efforts to save him.

Roy recovered the data from Lima and returns to his ship in his spacesuit using a panel from Lima to block asteroids as he flew through the rings of Neptune. Roy’s ship did not have enough fuel to return, so he used the nuclear blast from Lima to jettison him back to earth where he reconnects with his wife and himself.

Brad Pitt’s talents were underutilized in “Ad Astra” speaking in a monotone voice and acting robotic and emotionless the entire movie. The movie also drags on through scenes with long, uneventful periods spent traveling around, and seems unbelievable the amount of time spent flying around in space in only a spacesuit using unbolted panels to deflect asteroids.

I think the $88 million budget spent on this family drama in space could have been better spent if just donated to the space program, and if you’re interested in what’s happening in space, your time would be better spent enjoying an evening outside under the stars.

Rated: PG-13
124 minutes

by Sheli Ellsworth

The Ojai Art Center Theater is performing the original play Bless Your Heart through September 29 with Friday and Saturday night performances at 7:30 PM and Sunday matinees at 2 PM.

The play Ojai Art Center’s own artistic director, Emmy winner Richard Camp wrote Bless Your Heart which explores the impact of religion, education and science in modern culture. Camp describes it as “a play about evolution and faith with a juicy dollop of Elvis Presley fandom . . .”

Set in 1998 North Carolina, a deeply religious family prepares for the wedding of 17 year old John David played by Chance Kelejian to the ditzy 18 year old preacher’s daughter played by KiSea Katikka. The festivities are dampened when John David’s stubborn mother, Martha—played by Susan Kelejian—refuses to be involved in the nuptials. After John David’s brother, Thomas—portrayed by David Nelson Taylor—arrives, the family’s dynamic goes into further free fall. The educated Thomas brings his liberal, science-based ideas into the already turbulent situation and when John David’s estranged preacher father—JD played by veteran actor Michael Holden—arrives, things go from bad to worse.

Fortunately, Martha’s sister—brilliantly portrayed by true southern belle Julie Denny Hamann— keeps the laughs on track throughout the whole debacle.

Camp took on a controversial topic and made it fun and watchable. The acting is spirited and engaging; for anyone interested in Darwinism, God, or the matrimony of the two.

The Ojai Art Center is located at 113 S. Montgomery Street in Ojai. It opens 45 minutes before each show. Go to www.ojaiact.org for tickets. Prices are $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors and Art Center members, and $10 for those under 25. If you have questions, please call (805) 640-8797.

Movie Review by Cindy Summers
Angel Has Fallen
2 palm trees out of 4

After a drone attack during a fishing trip that takes out his whole team, Secret Service Agent Mike Banning is accused of being the mastermind behind the assasination attempt on President Allan Trumbull, and sets out to clear his name while trying to protect president from the real danger that exists which is actually being carried out by those closest to him who he trusts and would never assume were involved. Released by Lionsgate, Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, Written by Katrin Benedikt, Robert Mark Kamen, Creighton Rothenberger and staring Gerard Butler as Mike Banning and Morgan Freeman as Allan Trumbull.

In “Angel Has Fallen” the saga continues with Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) serving as the most trusted secret service agent to now U.S. President Alan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) who is targeted by drones on a fishing trip resulting in only the two of them surviving the attack. Banning wakes up handcuffed to his hospital bed with his only concern being the safety of the president and learns that his DNA evidence was found at the scene and he’s the prime suspect in the drone attack.

After being arrested for the attempted assassination of the president, Banning’s convoy is attacked and he’s kidnapped by masked men who he overcomes and discover work for his military buddy and mercenary business owner Wade Jennings (Danny Huston). Jennings and his men also carried out the original attack on the president under the secret direction of Vice President Kirby (Tim Blake Nelson).

With the whole world thinking he’s guilty, and on the run able to trust no one, Banning elicits the assistance of his estranged father Clay Banning (Nick Nolte), who he finds in the woods having gone off the grid believing in government conspriacies after serving in the military when he was younger. Clay ends up having some unexpected clever resources to help his son Mike clear is name and save his family.

This film is the third in the franchise staring Butler and Freeman (who previously played the role of vice president), the first being “Olympus Has Fallen” released in 2013 and “London Has Fallen” in 2016 which received poors reviews both from the public and critics, some of which called the film “effortlessly racist” and “ugly, reactionary fear-mongering.”

“Angel Has Fallen” is more like a grown up version of Spiderman 3 without the costumes but the same hero becoming the hunted with very predictable storylines and character personas. The movie has the usual unbelievable millions of bullets fired at the hero who’s only minorly injured, the great friend actually being a lying, ruthless enemy behind the scenes, no suspense as to whether or not the hero would prevail and outside Nick Nolte’s great comedic relief found this action adventure to fall flat.

Rated R 114m

by Shirley Lorraine
Romantic drama explores grief

The current production at the Elite Theatre in Oxnard’s Channel Islands is a study in how grief affects us each in different ways. To Gillian, on Her 37th Birthday, by Michael Brady explores ways in which a widower is coping (or not), to the frustration of his family and friends.

To Gillian is a timeless play. At some time, all of us will be faced with the loss of a loved one. Psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross outlined the five stages of grief that everyone encounters – the multiple facets of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Not everyone experiences the stages in the same order. Some get stuck in one stage for a while before allowing themselves to move forward.

This appears to be what happened to David (Bill Walthall), who lost his beloved Gillian (Alyssa Carmen) in a boating mishap a few years before. He is unable to fully accept her death and spends much of his time having “conversations” with her. So much so, that he is oblivious to the needs of his teenaged daughter Rachel (Genesis Perez) and the teenaged infatuation of her friend Cindy (Sophia Fox). Gillian’s sister Esther (Jen Ridgway) and her husband Paul (Michael Adams) confront David, offering to have Rachel live with them until he faces reality. Paul and David have been friends for many years while Esther has been a thorn in David’s side.

Esther and Paul invite a young friend Kevin (Elisabeth Melcher) for a few days’ stay at David’s beach house in hopes he will see beyond his grief to a fresh relationship. Kevin was a student in one of David’s classes before the accident. Mutual attraction is acknowledged but David is fearful of letting go of Gillian’s memory.
As David copes with new feelings, he reaches out to Gillian’s spirit who encourages him to let her go. Tensions rise as the two teens feel unseen and unheard, the houseguest is put in an awkward situation and the in-laws put pressure on David to let go and move forward.

There are many moments of serenity, calm and reflection. There are also moments of anger, angst and confusion as each character copes with the reality of Gillian’s death and the need to continue living without her.

Bill Walthall, as the pivotal David, gives a solid performance laced with emotion. The ghost of Gillian as played by Alyssa Carmen provides a dose of practicality, sympathy and reality as she leads David toward the path of acceptance. Michael Adams as Paul injects playful humor into the situation, while Jen Ridgway as Esther counters with stern resolve.

This dramatic romantic effort is heartfelt throughout. Director Rolland Petrello has given relative newcomers an opportunity to take the stage next to seasoned actors, an ensemble that works well as a whole.

Certainly the theme and moments of reflection will strike different chords with audience members depending on their own circumstances in dealing with loss. The play reminds us to focus on the present and appreciate the people and life we are living rather than dwelling in our loss.

To Gillian on her 37th Birthday continues through September 15. Elite Theatre Playhouse, 2731 S. Victoria Ave, Oxnard. 805-483-5118 or www.theelite.org. $20 general admission, $17 seniors, students and military

Sweet Jay’s Roadhouse Now Open
by Shirley Lorraine

Tucked away in an industrial area of Ventura is a Speakeasy. The Speakeasy Project: American Roadhouse, that is. Billed as an underground evening of new comedies and live music, the interactive roadhouse atmosphere is provided by the Fractured Actors Theater Company.

New name on the community theater scene? It was to me although this is their second Speakeasy Project and other productions have been mounted.

Apparently, others were already in the know however, as most of the tables in Sweet Jay’s Roadhouse were already filled when I arrived. Libations were available, both complimentary and for purchase, and the place was already jumping.

The evening featured Sumter Skaggs and the Screamin’ Armadillos, a versatile band churning out country, rock and blues classics. A standout vocalist was Stella Ruby Rose (Shelby Figueroa) who not only belted out the tunes, she also played piano and guitar accompaniment.

The evening was a mixture of original one-acts plays depicting snapshots of American Life written by FATC’s producers, Jeff Ham and Shannon McNally Ham, and boot-scootin’ music from the band.

Stage crew deftly changed the minimal settings while the audience was enjoying the musical interludes. A large cast of actors assumed various roles in the one-acts, performing with enthusiasm. The Fractured Actors website decrees family friendly, but I would caution those with an aversion to cuss words (both in scripts and songs) to leave the kids at home. The one-acts, in my opinion, were placeholders for the music. Scripts were complicated and filled with what seemed to be comments on life while dancing around the subjects. Maybe it was just me, but I felt some interpretation was required. At least one act seemed unresolved to me.

A few of the actors were difficult to hear with soft, unamplified voices in stark contrast to the interim amplification of the musicians. For me, it was like when you’re watching TV and must turn the sound up but then the commercial comes on and you’re blasted with volume.

However, a few performers stood out with excellent diction, projection and confidence. Hudson Ham, the youngest of the group, shows promise. He was composed, articulate and had excellent timing.

Anthony Contreras and Benjamin Wilson each stood out in several one-acts as did the trio of Jeff Ham, Michael Lie Murphy and Karyn Noel in the second play titled Animal Behavior.

Overall though, the entire evening was different, enjoyable and lively. Although the black box theater utilizes space in the Ventura Vineyard Church on Palma Drive, the theater company is fully independent of the church, hence their hashtag #NotAChurchPlay.

The entrance is around the back, as a Speakeasy should be – through an unmarked door. However, the bouncer will check for your name on the list so be sure to reserve tickets/seats early. Seating is limited and the tables fill up fast.

This end-of-summer special engagement is a limited run ending August 31. It is a non-smoking venue, wheelchair accessible (mention the need when you make your reservation). Go and have fun.

Movie Review by Cindy Summers
Good Boys
2 palm trees out of 4

Having been invited to his first kissing party, Max and his friends Lucas and Thor set out to discover how kissing is actually done being only 12 years old and having never kissed a girl before. Not able to find reasonable answer from the internet, the boys use Max’s dad’s drone against his demands it to spy on a teenage neighbor for kissing tips, but that’s when things go wrong for them leading them on an accidental adventure involving party drugs and many adult situations they must hurdle to right the wrongs of their drone incident. Released by Universal Pictures, Directed by Gene Stupnitsky, Written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and staring Jacob Tremblay as Max, Keith L. Williams as Lucas and Brady Noon as Thor.

When Max is invited to his first kissing party, he elicits the help of his fellow “Bean Bag Boys” Lucas and Thor to discover the unknown world of kissing girls. As with most young people today, they begin their search for knowledge on the internet, which reveals way more than they bargained for on their quest for the basics of kissing, likely from a site such as porn7 – though kissing is still featured on those sites.

Their next plan involved spying on Max’s teenage neighbor with his dad’s drone, which he has been instructed to not touch, and unfortunately for the boys the drone is lost in the endeavor. Good news is that Max’s dad is out of town, which buys them some time to replace the drone, though the path to doing so is plagued with adult and even dangerous situations along the way.

Max has charisma and is more like a kid from the popular crowd, while Lucas has a soft sensitivity, likes fantasy adventure games and tends to always have a mild mannered demeanor and Thor is both brave and a little dense compared to his two childhood friends. They discover in the end that this is also a time in life where kids tend to go their separate ways as they go to junior high and high school, but made a pact to always be there for each other for the big things in life.

Good Boys is produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg who produced Superbad in 2007, a very similar story of three friends experiencing life through wild misadventures, though they were preparing for college, while the characters in Good Boys are on their way to middle school experiencing many age-inappropriate situations along the way.

I question if it would be more relatable if I had a tween in my life or were a tween or teen, but also personally felt there was too much unnecessary profanity, especially Max’s character, and honestly feel somewhat disappointed if that’s the general vocabulary of tweens today. An interesting note is the movie was actually filmed at Jacob Tremblay’s school in Vancouver.

Though the movie touches on many realistic situations for tweens, it generally does so in very vulgar and profane ways that don’t seem necessary to the story. There’s a believable innocence to their misadventures involving foreign things such as sex toys and their purpose, which for them were ideal as weapons and disguises, however think in several instances that there was just gratuitous vulgarity disguised as comedy.

Rated R 95m (for strong crude sexual content, drug and alcohol material, and language throughout – all involving tweens)

by Shirley Lorraine

High energy hilarity hits Simi stage

Actor’s Repertory Theatre of Simi brings the house down with its current production of The Drowsy Chaperone now on stage through September 1. The 1920’s musical within a current comedy provides everything one could desire for an entertaining evening at the theater –lively music, dancing, overdone characters, mobsters, spit-takes and explanatory narrative.

The play opens in the dark as Man in Chair (Kevin Ellis), an agoraphobic devotee of musical theater, introduces the audience to his favorite musical, the fictional The Drowsy Chaperone. As he plays the LP on his record player (yes, a record player!) he outlines the characters and basic plot of the story. As his excitement increases, the musical magically comes to life in his living room, complete with lavish costumes, lights and brightly colored set. It is an unusual treatment that is enchanting, different and captivating.

Plot A features a socialite, Mrs. Tottendale, (Denise Jaffe) who is about to host a fancy wedding between a Broadway starlet (Dawn Michelle) and her debonair fiancé (Vincent Perez). She is assigned a chaperone (MarLee Candell), a drunken diva who handles her duties only slightly. A frenzied producer (Will Shupe) desperately wants the starlet not to marry. Two mobsters disguised as Max Sennett type pastry chefs encourage him to derail the wedding.

Plot B brings forth a highly characterized Latin Lothario, Aldolpho, (George Chavez) who seduces the wrong woman, romantic interest between air-headed Mrs. Tottendale and her butler Underling (Mueen Jahan) and Trix, an aviatrix (Shandar Robinson) who comes out of nowhere to wrap up the action in fine musical theater fashion.

It’s all quite tongue-in-cheek and a ton of fun. Imagine adding a tap-dancing best man, a roller skating (blindfolded, no less!) leading man, back-up singer/dancers, a ditzy chorine with questionable talents (Mary Zastrow), nonsensical song lyrics and more energy than should be allowed on one stage. All this with no intermission.

The cast is simple tremendous. Michelle and Perez vocally shine, as do Candell, Chavez, Robinson and Shupe. Choreography is spirited with an ensemble that fills in all the gaps with gusto. Ellis, as Man in Chair, pulls it all together with unending enthusiasm, charm and wit. He is simply delightful.

Superb costuming by Joshua Stapel adds to the flight of fancy inherent in the 1920’s extravaganza. The result is a visual feast.

Director Robert Craig and Producer Jan Glasband have made some slight script updates to be relevant without changing the intent. All the alterations work well. Staging is sharp and makes excellent use of the many entry and exit opportunities provided by set designer Will Shupe.

Musical accompaniment is provided by a live orchestra but never fear, the actors are amplified.

Be prepared for an evening of nonstop hilarity, high energy, high volume, beautiful costumes and outstanding performances across the board.

With stage offerings of this quality in Ventura County, there is no need to travel further than the county borders for excellent theater. It’s right here in our own backyard. Go. Enjoy.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. through September 1. Tickets are $28 adults, $24 seniors and students, $20 12 and under. (805) 583-7900 or www.simi-arts.org.

Movie Review by Cindy Summers
Yesterday
2 palm trees out of 4

Yesterday is a comedy based fantasy that centers around musician Jack Malik’s fortunate accident that he’s the only one in the whole world that remembers the Beatles after an unexplained global blackout. Released by Universal Pictures, Directed by Danny Boyle , Written by Richard Curtis and staring Himesh Patel as Jack Malik who also personally performs all the Beatles music in the movie.

Jack Malik lives in a small English town and where as a singer-songwriter, his career is just as small and seems to be fading. When a world wide power outage occurs, he’s struck by a bus on his bike and wakes up in the hospital with minor injuries, and once recovered is gifted a replacement guitar from his friends to replace the one he lost in the accident.

To Jack’s surprise, not only do his friends not remember the Beatles song “Yesterday” when as strummed on his new guitar, they actually think that Jack wrote it, and Jack soon finds it’s not only is friends but everyone in the world who now know nothing about the Beatles. Finding no trace of their existence, Jack sets out to re-spark is music career by re-sharing the Beatles with the world.

Jack and his music (actually all Beatles tunes) gain immediate popularity and he’s spotted by Ed Sheeran, who asks Jack to join him on tour. Jack finds himself as the opening act in Moscow and Los Angeles and gains world notoriety, but personal issues with Ellie and his conscientious cause things to change course and Jack ends up face to face with John Lennon in the twilight years of his alternate life.

All the Beatles cover songs in the movie are sung by Himesh Patel, who plays the guitar and piano as well. Director Danny Boyle chose Patel for the part after hearing him play “Yesterday” and “Back in the U.S.S.R.” at auditions, where both Boyle and Ed Sheeran agreed Patel’s voice had soul. Patel also has a very likable demeanor that automatically has the audience rooting for him and serves his role well as an accidental world music sensation.

Though Patel is a relative newcomer to the big screen, the cast includes other notable actors including Lily James as Ellie Appleton who is Himesh’s childhood friend and love interest, Kate McKinnon plays the role of his manager Debra Hammer, and Ed Sheeran as himself in fictional role that is somewhat true to his actual life.

Yesterday does well in bringing the audience back to the magic of the Beatles and their music, but the fantasy of the story is too farfetched for it to add up to anything more than a feel good movie with good music.

Rated PG 112m