Starring Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates and 'Glee''s Artie, 'Boychoir' shines in all the right places [Review]
Clichés abound in Francois Girard's rose-tinted coming-of-age drama: the underprivileged but gifted student; the gruff yet dedicated tutor living vicariously through his protégés; a rivalry that culminates in a final showdown.
Yet Boychoir manages to maintain compelling warmth, thanks, in no small measure, to heavenly choir scenes and a solid core cast of Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Eddie Izzard and Glee's Kevin McHale - teachers at an elite music academy that coaches angel-faced pupils before they reach puberty.
Garrett Wareing makes a robust debut as 11-year-old Stet, a rebellious yet talented orphan struggling with the death of his mother, his father's absence, and the weight of expectation placed upon him when he ends up at The National Boychoir Academy.
After early hiccups owing to his haphazard upbringing and an inability to read music, he knuckles down, finds his stride and shines as one of the touring choir's lead voices.
Though it requires a certain suspension of belief, Boychoir has enough of a plot to avoid dwelling on the overly sentimental, and its message of living in the moment will resound.