Culture

Directed by: Bob Connelly and Sophie Raymond, (3.5/5).

Mrs Carey’s Concert is one of those quintessential performing-arts films in which, through the power of music/dance/theatre/etc., a bad boy/girl finds out what makes him/her special and rises to the occasion and it’s all, like, awesome and uplifting and stuff. Except this movie is actually a documentary, which means 1) there are kids dancing in the street and 2) there’s more actual talent.
 
The film follows Mrs Carey, the Director of Music at MLC School, as she, her fellow music teachers, and their students work towards their biennial concert at the Sydney Opera House. Although the film spends some time with Iris (a stroppy young thing who clearly doesn’t give a fuck about classical music and doesn’t see the point in being forced to participate in the concert), the film focuses mostly on Emily, an immensely talented violinist and shrinking violet, reluctant to both lead and open up emotionally.
 
It turns out Emily has had some tragedy in her life, and although this tragedy is a major reason for Emily’s emotional reticence, the directors (to their credit) refrain from turning that part of Emily’s story into some weepy melodrama. In fact, the direction is generally understated, preferring to take a fly-on-the-wall approach. This means the directors capture some pretty classic moments, like the weary look between Emily, Mrs Carey’s new protégé, and Duretta, Mrs Carey’s old protégé, as Mrs Carey blithely talks about her plans for the next Opera House concert. Both girls had to be pushed into performing solos for that concert, and Emily in particular has to be forced into taking even small steps forward in her musical development. The pressure is obvious, and sometimes obviously resented. But maybe the ends justify the means; Emily’s final performance is emotionally unrestrained and, well, uplifting. All this, without the directors having to hit us over the head with the message that perhaps music really does have the power to transform.
 
In the end, the directors deliver a satisfying film that largely skirts movie clichés and showcases some rather amazing young musicians. It won’t set your world alight, but it’d be a nice movie to see with your mum, and the final concert is pretty awesome. Even stroppy Iris claps and grins at the end.