Music of the Heart

Horror film director Wes Craven tries on a new genre in this uplifting story of a determined music teacher. Meryl Streep plays a musician, mother, and teacher who needs to carve out a new life after a divorce. Through sheer willpower, she gets a job teaching the violin to poor, inner-city schoolkids. Over the years, she watches her program grow from scorned to prestigious. The plot is formulaic and the sentiment is schmaltzy, but the film is a nice, lightweight feel-good film. Knowing the director is Craven makes the experience just a bit more fun.