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Mr. Holland's Opus

Name: Mr. Holland's Opus
Genre: Drama, Music
Released: January 19, 1996
Duration: 143 min
Rating: 59
Cast: Alexandra Boyd, Alicia Witt, Damon Whitaker, Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas

1996

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Mixed or average reviews based on 21 Critics

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: January 19, 1996 | PG

Starring: Alexandra Boyd, Alicia Witt, Damon Whitaker, Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas, Jean Louisa Kelly, Olympia Dukakis, Richard Dreyfuss, Terrence Howard, William H. Macy

Summary: A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.

Director: Stephen Herek

Genre(s): Drama, Music

Rating: PG

Runtime: 143 min

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Awards & Rankings

64	#64 Best Movie of 1996
91	#91 Most Discussed Movie of 1996

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Critic Reviews

Ty Burr

The film captures how the constant turnover of students keeps educators poised between loss and rebirth, fuddy-duddyism and eternal kiddishness. That balance is there, most pleasurably, in Dreyfuss’ performance. The wonders of makeup and hairpieces have taken 20 years off his age, and his acting feels 20 years younger, too. He has an edgy vigor here that recalls his ebullient star turns of the late ’70s. Read full review

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Stack

Mr. Holland's Opus is a glowing tribute to the unsung heroics of those rare, gifted teachers who make a difference in life. Richard Dreyfuss, in a performance that both touches and inspires, plays music teacher Glenn Holland. Read full review

ReelViews James Berardinelli

It's a symphony of solid storytelling and good feeling that pays tribute to Hollywood's rarely-seen, gentler side. Read full review

Jay Carr

There's a lot to like in Mr. Holland's Opus, even if you find yourself wishing it had been more artfully written, directed - and trimmed. [19 Jan 1996, p.58]

Empire Angie Errigo

Despite the schmaltz this reviewer lapped it up, not least for the engaging teens, including Alicia Witt, and the spectacle of Dreyfuss strutting his wily stuff to Louie, Louie. Read full review

John Kelly

At times Mr. Holland's Opus is moving. But the sound it produces is that of a clockwork music box, not a great orchestra. Read full review

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

Mr. Holland's Opus is the kind of movie that only a person who really doesn't like movies could love. It's a movie whose grandiose swagger is meant as compensation for its message about the resignation of the human spirit to smaller gratifications and vistas. Read full review

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radegeddon

Mar 31, 2018

"Mr. Holland's Opus" was created in the spirit of Frank Capra, in which the story of the life of the main characters is a sort of alchemical process that leads to the knowledge that is most important in life. R. Dreyfuss most excellent performance. Worth mentioning - unlike movies in which"Mr. Holland's Opus" was created in the spirit of Frank Capra, in which the story of the life of the main characters is a sort of alchemical process that leads to the knowledge that is most important in life. R. Dreyfuss most excellent performance. Worth mentioning - unlike movies in which the younger actor's mask turns into an older one, Dreyfuss here was rejuvenated at the very beginning of the film.… Expand

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