• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Movie Review – Life With Music (2019)

July 17, 2020 by admin

Life With Music (a.k.a. Coda), 2019.

Directed by Claude Lalonde.
Starring Patrick Stewart, Katie Holmes, and Giancarlo Esposito.

SYNOPSIS:

A conflicted virtuoso pianist with performance anxiety, strikes an unusual relationship with a young music critic.

Emotional dramas centered around the subject of music is not something new. They can come in myriad forms, ranging from pageantry filled biographical dramas like Milos Foreman’s Amadeus or more small-scale romantic comedies like John Carney’s Once. Every year brings its share of similarly themed films and director Claude Lalonde’s Life with Music comfortably fulfills the need for such a guilty pleasure, in this trouble filled year.

Life with Music follows the story of pianist virtuoso Sir Henry Cole (Patrick Stewart) who, following his wife’s tragic demise has become something of a recluse and taken a lengthy break from performing music in public. But Cole has second thoughts about his triumphant return to the world of music; he has started developing stage fright and experiencing anxiety issues during his performances, much like an inexperienced novice would. He too is at a loss to explain his current predicament to his ever-intuitive confidant cum manager Paul (Giancarlo Esposito). Enter vivacious free-spirited music critic Helen Morrison (Katie Holmes), who turns Cole’s life upside down and inspires him to overcome his fears and bring happiness to others through his music.

Both Patrick Stewart and Katie Holmes possess great chemistry as the film’s leads adding life and a certain ‘oomph’ to the proceedings because-make no mistake-the plot is quite a derivative and predictable one. Stewart imbues his character with a sense of quiet elegance and emotional restraint, while Holmes truly shines as the conflicted artist’s effervescent muse. In the supporting roles category, the ever-dependable Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Bad fame is the one worth mentioning here. Esposito instills his onscreen persona with the right amount of charm, humor and emotion, deftly balancing his limited screen time with the two leads while delivering a memorable performance.

From a technical standpoint cinematographer Guy Dufaux deserves high-praise for crafting a beautiful looking film replete with some stunning landscape montages. The film’s sublime soundtrack composed of uncommonly featured classical pieces from the likes of Schuman, Schubert and Rachmaninoff, is also worthy of note.

Life with Music may be predictable, but it does offer a charmingly refreshing diversion from a cinematic landscape choking on caped crusader shenanigans and computer-generated razzmatazz… which is just what the audience needs right now.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

Hasitha Fernando is a part-time medical practitioner and full-time cinephile. Follow him on Twitter via @DoctorCinephile for regular updates on the world of entertainment.

 

Filed Under: Hasitha Fernando, Movies, Reviews Tagged With: Claude Lalonde, Giancarlo Esposito, katie holmes, Life With Music, Patrick Stewart

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

The Rise of Paul Thomas Anderson: A Living Legend

10 Movie Franchises That Need To End

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark Revisited: The Birth of a Horror Icon

Forgotten 90s Action Movies That Deserve a Second Chance

The (00)7 Most Underrated James Bond Movies

10 Essential Home Invasion Horror Movies

The Essential Joe Dante Movies

Ten Essential Films of the 1950s

The Contemporary Queens of Action Cinema

Ten Essential Films of the 1960s

Top Stories:

Peacock’s true crime drama Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy gets a trailer

Movie Review – Superman (2025)

Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

Great 2010s Thrillers You May Have Missed

New trailer for Netflix mystery-thriller series Untamed starring Eric Bana

7 Underrated World War II Romance Movies

Movie Review – Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (2025)

Movie Review – Sovereign (2025)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

Back to the Future at 40: The Story Behind the Pop Culture Touchstone

The Essential Action Movies of 1985

6 Great Rutger Hauer Sci-Fi Films That Aren’t Blade Runner

Takashi Miike: The Modern Godfather of Horror

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket