10 August 2014. It's not often that the audience is presented with a music-themed movie that actually offers up the music with a co-starring role. But "Competition" with a running time of just over two hours provides a luscious and inspiring role for the piano to shine. In addition, the acting plot and relational undertones evolve in captivating way. The fusion of both creative expression and acting performances maintains audience interest in this extended romantic drama. The editing between piano playing and actor performances are tight and believable. The balance of screen time between the contestants are well weighted and the script and directing are played down to create a fine orchestration between dialogue and musical performances. There is a unstated humane treatment of people along with a nicely depicted element of conflict between competition and relationships.
Unlike a pure musical historical dramas such as Evita (1996) or The Sound of Music (1965), "Competition" tells its story with both music, dialogue, and acting without lyrics. "Competition" doesn't attempt to relate anything more than the more intimate personal conflict between competitors as the title of the movie implies. Instead, "Competition" plays more like romantic comedy Simply Irresistible (1999) that combines a magical culinary theme with relational overtones or the romantic drama of Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) that combines the gorgeous foreign-theme and coming of age through remodeling construction or The Cooler (2003) with its gambling theme.
The romantic comedy Music and Lyrics (2007) might come closest to a relational movie that offers up enjoyable, but more contemporary music or Mr. Dreyfuss own starring Oscar and Golden Globe's nominated performance in Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), 15 years later. Competition might even be likened to a precursor to the amazing depiction of art and love in the romantic drama in Oscar-winning The Artist (2011).
Unlike a pure musical historical dramas such as Evita (1996) or The Sound of Music (1965), "Competition" tells its story with both music, dialogue, and acting without lyrics. "Competition" doesn't attempt to relate anything more than the more intimate personal conflict between competitors as the title of the movie implies. Instead, "Competition" plays more like romantic comedy Simply Irresistible (1999) that combines a magical culinary theme with relational overtones or the romantic drama of Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) that combines the gorgeous foreign-theme and coming of age through remodeling construction or The Cooler (2003) with its gambling theme.
The romantic comedy Music and Lyrics (2007) might come closest to a relational movie that offers up enjoyable, but more contemporary music or Mr. Dreyfuss own starring Oscar and Golden Globe's nominated performance in Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), 15 years later. Competition might even be likened to a precursor to the amazing depiction of art and love in the romantic drama in Oscar-winning The Artist (2011).