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Summary

In 1965, passionate musician Glenn Holland takes a day job as a high school music teacher, convinced it's just a small obstacle on the road to his true calling: writing a historic opus. As the decades roll by with the composition unwritten but generations of students inspired through his teaching, Holland must redefine his life's purpose.

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss

Glenn Holland

Glenne Headly

Iris Holland

Jay Thomas

Bill Meister

Olympia Dukakis

Principal Jacobs

William H. Macy

Vice Principal Gene Wolters

Alicia Witt

Gertrude Lang

Terrence Howard

Louis Russ

Damon Whitaker

Bobby Tidd

Jean Louisa Kelly

Rowena Morgan

Alexandra Boyd

Sarah Olmstead

Nicholas John Renner

Cole at 6 Years Old

Joseph Anderson

Cole at 15 Years Old

Anthony Natale

Cole at 28 Years Old

Joanna Gleason

Gertrude Lang as an adult

Beth Maitland

Deaf School Principal

Patrick Fong

Study Hall Student

Benjamin J. Dixon

Mr. Mims

Kathryn Arnett

Ms. Swedlin

Freeman O. Corbin

Mr. Sullivan

Moira Feeney

Ms. Godfrey

Joshua Minnick

Mr. Shapiro

Ashley Hamrick

Miss Reeves

Janine Shouse

Miss Schumaker

Spencer Riviera

Mr. Hosta

Dan Vhay

Mr. Malone

Sean Bevington

Mr. McMartin

John Henry Redwood

Mr. Russ

Ted Roisum

Dr. Sorenson

Mark Daniels

Ralph

Kaili Carlton

Ms. Wayne

Adam Fitzhugh

Mr. McKenzie

Eric Michael Cole

Boy 2

Joe Campbell

Boy 3

Tomiko Peirano

Girl 2

Kasey Nelson

Girl 3

Zoe McLellan

Girl 4

Kelly M. Casey

Deaf School Teacher

Michael Mendelson

Chaplain

Alex Dudgeon

Auditioner 1

Rachel Wooley

Auditioner 2

Jordan Carlton

Auditioner 3

Aurora Miller

Auditioner 4

Paul Bernard

Auditioner 5

Mary Kay O'Mealy

Auditioner 6

Dieffyd Gilman-Frederick

Auditioner 7

Tara Eng

Auditioner 8

Jay Frank

Auditioner 9

Conan Doherty

Toby Klein

Stacey Siegel

Diner Waitress

Nicolas Sirianni

Football Player 1

Jacob Adams

Football Player 2

Chris Marth

Football Player 3

Brent Archie

Football Player 4

Kevin Calaba

Football Player 5

Keith Swift

Football Player 6

John Boyer

Billy Faraday

Linda Williams Janke

Secretary

David Clegg

Superintendent

Don Burns

City Official

Dennis Biasi

Adult Stadler

Alexander Emmert

1st Chair Cellist

Cazzey Louis Cereghino

Graduate (uncredited)

Michael R. Ferraro

Auditorium extra (uncredited)

Elizabeth Fournier

Woman in audience (uncredited)

Balthazar Getty

Stadler (uncredited)

Forest Whitaker

Bobby Tidd as an adult (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Stephen Herek

Writer

Patrick Sheane Duncan

Reviews

Wuchak

May 29, 2019

***Taking a bypass from your dreams and finding your true calling***

A composer (Richard Dreyfuss) puts his lofty ambitions on hold to become a high school music teacher in Portland, Oregon, from 1965-1995. Glenne Headly plays his wife, Jay Thomas the coach, Olympia Dukakis the principal and William H. Macy the irritating vice principal.

"Mr. Holland’s Opus" (1995) is a good school-oriented drama that’s episodic in nature since it spans 30 years. The first 40 minutes were decent, but I was wondering if the film would be able to absorb me into its story, especially considering its considerable length. It did, particularly the episodes concerning Terrence Howard (playing Louis Russ) and angelic Jean Louisa Kelly (Rowena).

The movie’s kind of a meshing of “Dead Poets Society” (1989) crossed with “Forrest Gump” (1994), although not great like either of those flicks. But it’s a solid drama. A 19 year-old Alicia Witt is on hand as one of the students in the first act.

The film runs 2 hours, 23 minutes and was shot in Portland, Oregon, and nearby Marylhurst.

GRADE: B