User reviews

This is a good film about neuroscience and music, father and son relationships, and commitment, based on Oliver Sachs' book.

The plot is based on the true story of Gabriel Sawyer, who has a tumor that destroys his hippocampus meaning that new memories are impossible. However, when music plays he remembers his life 20 years before.

This is evocative, nostalgic, and has a warmth and charm to it that you would be hard-pressed not to like. It is a simple, small, film that carries its message well - and for those who love 60s music you do get a chance to sing along to some great song, even Desolation Row...

The relationships are at the core of this and JK Simmonds is great as the father who is struggling to understand, and Lou Taylor Pucci seems to enjoy the challenge and conviction his part demands.

All in all, this is an interesting film, and the soundtrack is awesome....

In 1986, the conservative 65 year-old mechanical engineer Henry Sawyer (J.K. Simmons) and his wife, the housewife Helen Sawyer (Cara Seymour), are informed that their estranged son Gabriel Sawyer (Lou Taylor Pucci) has a brain tumor by Dr. Biscow (Scott Adsit) and they learn that that he is incapable to form new memories. Gabriel left home years ago when his father had an argument with him because he left the college night to unsuccessfully try to watch a Grateful Dead gig with his girlfriend Tamara (Tammy Blanchard) and his best friend Mark Ferris (Josh Segarra) and now he is completely disconnected from the world. Henry is compulsively retired by his chief and Helen decides to work to have money to pay Gabriel's treatment. Henry researches but the problem of his son and finds some good results through music therapy and he seeks out Professor Dianne Daley (Julia Ormond). Soon she discovers that the music from the late 60's and 70's, especially the Grateful Dead, is the key to connect Gabriel to the world. The reluctant Henry, who is also a music lover for from an older period, decides to learn these songs to bond with Gabriel. When a radio broadcasts a contest where the winner will receive a ticket for a sold-out Grateful Dead concert, he insistently tries to contact the radio to get the tickets.

"The Music Never Stopped" is a film based on a touching and beautiful tale of father-son connection through music. The first point to call the attention are the outstanding performances of J.K. Simmons, maybe in his best work, and the practically unknown Lou Taylor Pucci. The magnificent soundtrack is also amazing as well the discussion about bands from the 60 's and 70's and Grateful Dead. The film is a perfect combination of drama, funny moments and music. Any sensible fan of the music from the foregoing period will certainly adore this great little unknown movie. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Música Nunca Parou" ("The Music Never Stopped")

The Music Never Stopped is a beautiful film based on a true story about the relationship between father and son, and between music and the brain. J.K. Simmons and Lou Taylor Pucci deliver incredible performances as estranged father and son, Henry and Gabriel. (Slight spoilers follow, but all information can be found within the first 20 minutes or so of the film.) The two both have a great love for music, but their relationship falls apart as Gabriel gets wrapped up in the hippie culture of the 60's and the Grateful Dead. When Gabriel gets a brain tumor as an adult, music therapy is used to improve his memory, which has been destroyed in the removal of the tumor.

This movie has a great soundtrack, full of the classic rock music of the late 60's. This is certainly a music-lovers film! If your favorite song takes you back to the moment you heard it, this is a film for you! If music touches your soul, this is a must see!

If you don't love the music of the late 60's, you will still find this film a moving piece of art. The relationships between each character are authentic and personal. It is an absolute must see! *Reviewed from Sundance screening*

I was a child of the 60s, grew up in the 70s, made most of my life's mistakes in the 80s, but also learned an awful lot about life those three decades. That time period made me who I am today. I don't take much for granted. I played a LOT outside as a child, my mind was not desensitized by video games. My growing years were filled with music about the reason for war and the wrongs of war. Popular songs about love were poetic, meanings often hidden, and not in your face expletives.

Having said all that, this movie reached me deep inside. Music was always a part of my life... from day one. My father liked Glenn Miller and my mother loved Elvis. To this day I love that music too, as well as my own preferences with which I grew up. Despite my father never liking the Beatles, they are my favorite band of all time to this day. I think he objected to their hair. My father had a 30 year career in the U.S. Army. He served at the end of WWII, the Korean conflict and Vietnam. My love of the anti-war songs were not in rebellion to what he was doing, but instead reassured everyone that we found our American soldiers more valuable than whatever it was we were fighting for in Vietnam. Now my stepson is at the end of his tour of Afghanistan. I love him dearly, and support what he does and support our troops mission, but they need to come home now. What songs today speak of our missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Libyan conflict? It's just not the same.

In the 70s, besides never setting the Beatles aside, I loved CSN, CCR, Joni Mitchell and most of the artists who took part in Woodstock back in 1969, as well as all the great bands and singer/songwriters that followed. Songs of peace, love and understanding.

I became a DJ at age 16 and after disco unfortunately changed everything and college was over, I worked a couple of years as a roadie and eventually became a musician as well.

I put my guitar down around 1990 and didn't pick it up again in seriousness until 2007. That period includes probably the darkest period in my life. I will never set music aside again.

Should I, God forbid, suffer the plight of the main character in this movie, my wife knows what music to play.

I didn't feel the need to review this film as a critic, because my experience with this film was more emotional than intellectual. If you don't have instant recollection of a moment in your past whenever you hear a certain song, this movie is not for you. However, if you do have a solid connection between music and a memory, don't miss this film.

Julia Ormond was good in this film as the doctor that finds the connection. However, the real stars are the lesser known J.K. Simmons and Lou Taylor Pucci who did an incredible job of showing the differences in generations and how the tables can turn when your ears and your heart open up to something new or something you hated because of lack of understanding. I think in all of life's steps on the road through life, denial is the most destructive.

Don't view this movie technically, you'll miss the point. Open your heart and your soul, and you'll get it. Enjoy.

Oliver Sacks, M.D. is a physician and professor of neurology and psychiatry at the Columbia University Medical Center. In 2007, he was named the first Columbia University Artist, in recognition of his contributions to the arts. THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED is an adaptation (by Gwyn Lurie and Gary Marks) of "The Last Hippie", a short story/essay from Sacks' "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat", a collection of case history stories. Dr. Sacks is a neurologist who has spent his career diagnosing, evaluating, and treating a variety of neurological disorders (and the oftentimes the profound personality shifts that resulted in brain injury or trauma). This information provides a bit of reality ground to the film and makes it all the more important to see and respect. As directed by Jim Kohlberg, this film is a quiet, reverent, at times disturbing exploration of the many aspects of brain function and malfunction and an example of adaptation to these challenges.

Gabriel Sawyer (Lou Taylor Pucci) was a bright youngster in the 1070s when the Vietnam war was altering the nation's perception of right and wrong as expressed in the music of Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, Cream, the Beatles, etc. Longing to be a professional musician he foregoes his parent's wishes that he attend college and with regret leaves his girlfriend Tamara (Tammy Blanchard) and takes off for New York's Greenwich Village. Fast forward to 1986 and Gabriel is hospitalized for an enormous brain tumor, surgically removed, but leaving Gabriel without the ability to remember. At this point Gabriel's parents are located and his father Henry (J.K. Simmons) and mother Helen (Cara Seymour) visit him in the hospital, longing to reconnect with the son that has been absent for fifteen years. The lack of memory emphasizes the schism between Henry and Gabriel and Henry's depressed state results in his being placed on sick leave from his successful job to deal with the trauma of his family. Music having been so important to Gabriel as young man introduces the music therapist Dianne Daley (Julia Ormond) who meticulously follows the cues form Gabriel's attention span and is able to open the doorway to his memory loss through his love of the music of his time. Henry latches on to this and decides the only way he will be able to rebuild the broken fence of his relationship to Gabriel will be through music and together the two find connection despite the neurological blockades.

The cast is exemplary: J.K. Simmons is splendid as the father, Cara Seymour makes the mother wholly credible, Julia Ormond gives a selfless, fine performance, and Lou Taylor Pucci brings life to the long injured Gabriel. The music is by the recordings of the period with special music supplied by Paul Cantelon. Stephen Kazmierski's camera work allows almost unbearably touching close-ups of each of the actors that open the story for us. This is a film based on a true case history, but this is also a story that is immensely touching and uplifting simply from the way it has been written, directed and acted.

Grady Harp

This movie moved a little slow, however, it was really quite touching.

This movie is about a family whose son runs away and they find him 20 years later but he suffers from a brain tumor that has left him with no short-term memory. The father reconnects with his son through music.

The family history, the story, and the reconnection between the father and son is really quite moving. The acting is believable, which helps pull you into the story, and makes you care. This is not an exciting drama, but it is interesting enough that you want to hear the story.

Despite its slow nature, I still enjoyed this movie. It was heart felt and I can appreciate that.

"(Rhythm) is there in the cycles of the seasons, in the migrations of the birds and animals, in the fruiting and withering of plants, and in the birth, maturation and death of ourselves," -Mickey Hart (Grateful Dead)

What is it about music that resonates so much with people? Is it chemical? A part of the brain that responds to the frequencies and rhythm of certain sounds played in a progression? Or, is it just the fact that it makes one "feel" something? Music, like any other form of art brings out a "feeling" in the one experiencing it. Those feelings will be different for everyone and some will be permanently effected by them. Music can do many things. It can heal, damage, make you dance, give you a headache and even make you "high". According to many music therapists, it can also help recall memories. "The Music Never Stopped" explores this phenomenon beautifully and is a testament to our souls connection with our music. Set in the 80's with flashbacks to the 60's and 70's "The Music Never Stopped" has some of the best music from the bands of that era. The film runs the gamete of emotions and has some powerful performances from the actors and classic bands such as The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and The Beatles.

Gabriel, a 30 something man with a brain tumor is unable to form new memories. He can remember his life growing up, playing music and following his favorite bands around the country, but he can't remember what his nurse just said to him 5 minutes ago. Lou Tayler Pucci plays the down to earth "hippie" Gabriel graciously and I was very impressed with his performance. He was subtle but beautifully represented those of us obsessed with music and it's meanings. I felt a real connection with Gabriel and his relationship with his father Henry, played impeccably by J.K. Simmons. They have such an interesting and ever-changing dynamic, it was a pleasure to watch it all unfold. Henry is devastated by the diagnosis Gabriel has received and feels helpless. That is until he see's Gabriel's eyes light up at the sound of a familiar piece of music. He realizes that through music he can connect once again with his son and hopefully repair their broken relationship.

Based on the case study "The Last Hippie" by Dr. Oliver Sacks, "The Music Never Stopped" is a wonderful story and I highly recommend it. It pulls on the heart strings of young and old alike bringing them together with the power of great music. With a PG rating, "The Music Never Stopped" doesn't feel like an after school special on father and son relationships. It's obvious that the lesson goes much deeper than that. The film is about connecting to each other through music and taking the time to understand each other through that medium. The father/son dynamic is the ideal setting to get this point across and there are some very dramatic scenes that may bring a tear to your eye. It sure did for me.

It's 1987, and when a long-absent son turns up with a brain tumor that robs him of immediate memory, his father (JK Simmons) struggles to deal with the past through the eyes of a son who is frozen in memories.

OK, Dead fans know the title; if you're of a generation that listened to vinyl, here's your homage to the power of records and the 60s.

Small budget written all over this, that is all heart and talented talent that has talent. Did I mention talent? Having seen it at Sundance Chicago, the director explained that he'd been studying neurological science material and THAT is reflected in how uncommonly well the young actor, Gabe, nails his role as a person whose brain injury sometimes clicks on... and off. Director spoke about the editing down of the tale, and I think we'd really like to see it expanded back to a longer film; there's a few lessons here worthy of more screen time.

There's a jaw-dropping "how'd they do that?" in here worthy of cheers and worth the ticket price. Hope they "expand" that for the DVD!!!

This is a great little film without special effects but packed with the true mastery of a small story told very, emotionally, well. Familiar faces deliver for all they're worth and well-done filmmakers techniques bless MUSIC with obvious "extra efforts" that put all of the money up on the screen.

Taking an essay by neurologist Oliver Sacks about a man living with anterograde amnesia and crowbarring in quite a bare-bones "reconnecting with dad" narrative - The Music Never Stopped is a functional but unremarkable film. Lou Taylor Pucci and JK Simmons are the real draw here (although their age, whatever era, never seems quite right) and the scenes between them discovering music across the generational divide are beautifully performed. Everything else feels a little extraneous and, as always, the messier real story of the "Last Hippie" is far more intriguing.

The idea is hope. The year is 1986 and Gabe, a mid 30's former hippe has just been located after 20 years on the road. His parents are typical; his father was a war veteran who thinks that nothing he did was ever wrong and his mother just wished she knew the right words to say.

Through music the characters learn what is important; the moments to remember, the moments to change, the moments that will scuplt their souls.

I cannot express enough how uplifting this movie was. Anyone who is a fan of music and anyone who just needs a bright spot in their day needs to see this.

The Music Never Stopped is based on a book, The Last Hippie, by the renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks. It is not the first of his books that has been made into a movie. A 1973 book by Sacks called Awakenings was made into a movie of the same name. That movie, which starred Robin Williams and Robert De Niro, was nominated for an academy award.

While both movies are based on actual people and events and are about people with neurological disorders who somehow were able to respond beyond their limitations when stimulated in specific ways, The Music Never Stops does not come up to the production values that made Awakenings a riveting experience.

For one thing, actors J.K. Sawyer and Lou Taylor Pucci, while they put their hearts into it, still falll short of being entirely believable in their roles as Henry and Gabriel Sawyer. Cara Seymour as Helen Sawyer Is so wooden she is almost ridiculous. In two scenes that called for her to be saddened by the events unfolding she responds with such ridiculous expressions that the viewer wonders if she cares at all.

I could go on about the many ways in which this movie falls short of a quality experience. Children and young teens might enjoy it as the story is easy to follow and progresses over time, uncomplicated by a few flashbacks that add context to the events. But those who consider movies an art form will not find this picture rewarding.

Only one thing gives this movie a hint of quality. When, in moments of animation, Gabe explains to his father the meanings of songs like The Grateful Dead's "Truckin'" or Bob Dylan's "Gates of Eden", his interpretations hit the mark with the accuracy of a mystical poetry scholar.

If only this movie were made as thoughtfully!

"Music elicits measurable responses in the brain's activity" After Henry (Simmons) has a fight with his son Gabriel (Pucci), he decides that home is no longer for him and leaves. 20 years later Gabriel is found with a brain tumor that eliminates long term memory. After thinking he is still in the sixties his parents struggle to find a way to communicate with him. When a therapist discovers that music is the answer his parents have to adjust their lives to get their son back. This is an amazing movie. Much like "Barney's Version" and "Trust", this is a movie that didn't get the advertising that this deserved and will not be seen by the audience it should have. An extremely touching movie that deals with a strained father and son relationship, and the struggle to reconnect. There is not enough good things I can say about this movie. Much like "Trust" this is a movie that has the possibility of helping people and can become much more then just a movie. I cannot recommend this enough, do yourself a favor and watch this movie. You will be moved to tears and be left with an absolutely satisfying feeling. Why can't more movies be this way? Overall, one of the best movies in the last 10 years, and next to "Barney's Version" the best movie of the year. I easily give it an A+.

Would I watch again? - Absolutely.

*Also try - Barney's Version & Mr. Holland's Opus

Having music as a theme to the movie and having a look at the average user ratings I was very excited to watch this movie.

When I started watching this film I got a feeling that its one of those slow emotional films where one guy is a victim to some illness & the whole story is about his family whining for his troubles.

But, this feeling was very short. As the movie progressed, I could link the father-son character with my life. Even my dad & I face the similar kind of differences in opinion and taste as it has been portrayed in the movie.

The setting is beautiful & has been magnificently portrayed J.K.Simmons & Lou Taylor Pucci..

Very rarely do I rate a movie 10/10. I was thinking of giving it a nine by the time the movie was going to end as irrespective of the ending it was a very beautiful movie.

The extra one point is courtesy the ending. Tears never stopped while I watched the ending.

This movie has taught me to respect the differences that my father & have & perhaps much more than that can be explained in words...

The Music Never Stopped!!!

I usually consider myself a tough guy and people who know me know how thick my emotional wall can be, but considering how this movie is centered around a family who are reconnecting after 20 odd years and all the complex dynamics that it entails, the scenes that brought me tears were caused from pity. Its a drama movie, so expect lots of drama.

Regardless of the budget of the movie, the story line was enjoyable and so was the acting between the father and son. Flashbacks from the present to the 50s and 60s are introduced at the early stages of the movie to make sense of the present.

There are intermittent moments of high drama throughout the movie, but the ending scene is where drama reaches its climax.

I saw myself in the character of Henry Sawyer - which was superbly acted. The pinnacle of J.K. Simmons career. But don't watch it for that reason. Watch it if you've ever struggled to understand your son or let your child make their own mistakes. Or if you've ever had a child with a life- changing accident or disease. Or if you were that child. Or a child who struggled with their parents. OR if you've stood by while your husband improperly lashed out as his children. Or if you were that husband and you wish you weren't. I was. The movie made me cry. When I think about it, I'm still moved to tears by several scenes. No movie ever had that kind of an impact on me - the next two are probably Fireproof and Forest Gump. I pray this movie will help me change.

Don't push them away. Don't push away this move. Push play!

The story reveals an important fact: the relationship between music and the brain. More precisely, the fact that in our brain there exists a domain of memories connected to music, i.e, memories of many subjects (including music) which can be accessed through music and not only through words and/or concepts (relationships). Gabriel lost part of his brain because of a tumor and is not able to interact with people because his brain fails to make the necessary connections to understand what people expect from him. Yet, hearing music, he succeeds to retrieve many of his memories related to the music he hears. The part of the story which hard to believe is how much Gabriel's father was narrow minded (considering that they were living in New York) and the fact that after Gabriel quit his family house, his parents made no attempt to bring him back home, no matter where he would have gone. I would never do this with any one of my children. Any way, the last scenes - when the father succeeds to connect strongly to his son via music - are very moving because it's a kind of resurrection for both. The film is good, the actors competent, and it made me weep at the end. It deserves to be seen for sure.

You would hope that a film like this would have a consultant who was a Deadhead and who had seen The Grateful Dead at least 50+ times. They could have made a dull story interesting with some music by The Grateful Dead and for the credits at the end, The Music Never Stopped, or at least a Grateful Dead tune. Pathetic few partial tunes and constant repeats. Any Deadhead will tell you, you don't repeat songs, except Touch Of Grey to fit the lame plot.

Like the father and son in this music I too share the love of music that was bequeathed to me by my father. And not unlike Gabriel (the son) and Henry (the father) in "The Music Never Stopped", I and my father were from two very different generations as my father was 45 when I was born. Still there was a very tangible connection we both shared that goes on till this very day whenever I indulge daily in that love. But, how powerful is music? Can it bridge bigger things it has no right to? Absolutely! The power of something that stirs the emotions inside can never be diminished and therein lays the power that so few experiences in life bring.

With that as "rock" (pun definitely intended) solid premise "The Music Never Stops" weaves an utterly heartwarming story told expertly to ring true; it doesn't condescend into trite maudlin territory. It's a beautiful piece of work about a "lost" son, who with catastrophic loss of memory due to a brain tumor who is able to reconnect for periods of time with his dad when they share the magic of music embedded in his psyche. The father's love of his son allows him to transcend the generational difference as he becomes a "Deadhead". Much can be read into what occurs in the story and each viewer will have their own moments of the soul stirring emotions bound by a certain soundtrack. There is a great universal truth here and it is presented with economy which serves to elevate this as, perhaps, one of the best independent films of this year (2011), or any other for that matter.

See this movie because it deserves your attention. You will see a tour De force by much beloved comedic character actor J.K. Simmons; witness him as you've never imagined him. I have total respect for this man after seeing his light touch bring the father, Henry, to life. Combine that with the amazingly nuanced and deft acting of Lou Taylor Pucci in a difficult role exposing the brittle nature of mental illness and alienation of the son Gabriel. What you get is pure synergism of these two great performances in a sparse but highly moving script. I can't give higher praise except that the music used was some of the best that we will ever witness. Highly recommended!

Glad i took time to watch this, its these gems that make you wanna try other movies that you might haven't heard of.

J.K. Simmons does a great performance as the dad, reluctantly getting to know his son again after all the years that gone by and some misunderstandings in how they actually fell apart.

Have your hanger chief ready, a little tear will fall if you have any empathy.

I would certainly recommend it and its a nice trip down memory lane with a lot of top notch music from the hippie days and also before that.

When an old couple find that their estranged son suffers from a severe brain tumour, they go immediately to the hospital for assistance. After the surgery, their son is simply unrecognizable, the disease having had a great influence on the boy's mental health. Although being in a hard financial situation, the two parents do their best in order to ensure their son a much hoped recovery, but the doctor is very sceptic. In a desperate attempt to bring back their son, they approach a doctor specialised in such situations which seems to be able to communicate with him once music from his youth was played. Using this method, old memories are brought back, presenting how it was before and what lead to their separation.

It's a very emotional and dramatic movie which shows what two simple parents are forced to face in order to be able to simply exchange a couple of words with their only boy which was missing for a very long time. It's as interesting and thrilling as it is dramatic and eye watering, bringing suspense but also some hard worked joy with every new attempt to revive the ill minded son.

Although slow paced, it manages to keep you interested, alternating present with past memories, making the story even more emotional that it already is. I simply recommend this movie as it profoundly affected me but be warned though...it might be a bit more dramatic than you might expect it to be, especially towards the end.

If you like movies with an emotional wallop, and love music from the 60's, you will love this movie.