Skip to content
MovieCove
August Rush

August Rush

An incredible journey moving at the speed of sound.

2007114 minPGMidcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Director
Kirsten Sheridan
Starring
Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard

Evan, a musically gifted orphan, runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. On his journey, he's taken under the wing of the Wizard, a homeless man who lives in an abandoned theater. After discovering his talent, the Wizard gives Evan the name "August Rush" and devises a plan to profit from his talent. Little does Evan know that his parents, Lyla and Louis, are searching for him too.

Where to watch

Where can I watch August Rush?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists August Rush streaming on Howdy via The Roku Channel and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about August Rush?

August Rush earns 8 badges, led by Universally Loved and Guilty pleasure.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is August Rush worth watching?

August Rush's Midcredits score is the 86th percentile of all films, from 188K ratings across 6 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

86th percentile

Better received than 86% of films

88th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)79th
Approval (how many liked it)90th

70 /100

79th percentile of all films

82nd percentile among Drama79th percentile among 2000s

Critics 38 · Audience 72

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

80% liked it

90th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Drama89th percentile among 2000s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Critics 36% · Audience 82%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 11 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

97th percentile

188K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Drama95th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$9.4M
Domestic gross$32M
Worldwide gross$66M

Returned 2.2× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

An unabashed urban fairy tale that relies on the transformative, connective power of music, despite a wildly implausible plot.

Fans praised

  • uplifting emotional fairy tale powered by music
  • musical performances and soundtrack are exceptional
  • Freddie Highmore's expressive, endearing lead performance

Detractors panned

  • plot requires extreme suspension of disbelief, defies internal logic
  • dialogue is stilted, clichéd, and schmaltzy
  • cheesy, saccharine tone with transparent manipulation

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive85

original score, gospel, rock, classical blended; powerful and emotional

ActingDivisive75

Freddie Highmore deeply expressive; ensemble solid but Robin Williams over-the-top

Emotional impactDivisive75

deeply moving to many, saccharine to detractors

EndingDivisive65

rapturous musical crescendo and reunion, satisfying for fans

Originality45

Oliver Twist retread with musical twist, but unique concept

Characters40

thinly drawn, schematic archetypes in a fairy tale

Plot and storyDivisive30

highly implausible, requires extreme suspension of disbelief

Dialogue25

stilted, cliché-ridden, and forced

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 13 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is August Rush like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
HopefulBittersweetMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of filmsDreamlike · 2% of films: Logic gives way to atmosphere and association.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its fairy-tale premise straight, with earnest emotion and no irony, treating its miraculous coincidences and musical wonder as sincerely moving.
The rideThe film balances a hopeful pursuit with melancholic moments, particularly when Evan is under the Wizard's influence, creating a moderately intense but not overwhelming emotional arc.
StructureThe story follows a linear beginning-middle-end structure from the parents' meeting through Evan's search to the climactic concert reunion.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer believing that faith and family can triumph against odds, with a warm, uplifting feeling that lingers.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2% (this title)
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Second chance: A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).

13% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEvan's journey is a quest to find his parents through music, but the story is driven by the reunion and restoration of a broken family, fitting rebirth's second_chance subtype where stagnant lives are re-opened to love and purpose. The quest structure underlies the search.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsPurpose · 9% of filmsHope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Evan's search for his birth parents, exploring the longing for family connection, while his musical gift becomes a source of purpose and hope.
StanceThe film celebrates the power of family bonds and the redemptive force of music, affirming that love and art can overcome separation.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernRockForeground music · hybrid · Mark Mancina
SettingNew York City, with scenes in an orphanage, a church, and an abandoned theater
MusicThe soundtrack weaves classical and rock elements, with the guitar and orchestral pieces forming the emotional core of the film.

Content guide

Is August Rush okay for kids?

PG

August Rush is rated PG: “Rated PG for some thematic elements, mild violence and language” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (40/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at mild (31/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (18/100) and frightening material at moderate (39/100). Overall it is heavier than 47% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • GreecePG
  • Netherlands6
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain7
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 13% of all filmsHeavier than 47% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 61%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 32%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 60%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 32%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 55%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 61% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does August Rush have?

MovieCove's classifier found 2 depicted content warnings in August Rush: Child abuse (mild), Medical procedures (mild). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MildChild abuseMedical procedures

Cast and crew

Who is in August Rush?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Freddie Highmore
as August Rush
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Keri Russell
as Lyla Novacek
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers
as Louis Connelly
Terrence Howard
as Richard Jeffries
Robin Williams
as Maxwell 'Wizard' Wallace
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
William Sadler
as Thomas Novacek
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Marian Seldes
as Dean Alice McNeille
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Mykelti Williamson
as Reverend James
Leon Thomas III
as Arthur
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Aaron Staton
as Nick
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like August Rush?

Movies like August Rush include Raising Helen (2004), Stuart Little (1999) and tick, tick... BOOM! (2021). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about parents and children, and most are films set in New York.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its story type: second chance. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with August Rush?

3.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: child. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.