Synopsis
Henry struggles to bond with his estranged son, Gabriel, who suffers from a brain tumor that prevents him from forming new memories. With Gabriel unable to shed the beliefs and interests that caused their physical and emotional distance, Henry must learn to embrace his son's choices and try to connect with him through music.
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Cast
- J.K. SimmonsHenry Sawyer
- Lou Taylor PucciGabriel Sawyer
- Julia OrmondDianne Daley
- Cara SeymourHelen Sawyer
- Mía MaestroCelia
- Tammy BlanchardTamara
- Scott AdsitDr. Biscow
- James UrbaniakMike Tappin
- Max AntisellYoung Gabriel
- Peggy GormleyFlorence
Recommendations
- 83
The A.V. Club
The film emerges as a powerful, even shattering look as music's power to unite where it once divided. - 75
New York Post
Unpretentious and unexpectedly moving. - 70
The Hollywood Reporter
An effectively emotional look at the power of music therapy to trigger memories lost after brain surgery. - 70
Variety
The novel premise and otherwise nuanced performances are enough to hold attention. - 70
Los Angeles Times
In key spots, thanks to Simmons' brilliantly wounded gruffness and Pucci's nimble toggling act between vacancy and awakened spirit, The Music Never Stopped achieves an admirable poignancy about our emotional, healing relationship to the songs we love. - 60
New York Daily News
Often static and follows a familiar trajectory. Yet it has power, partly because Simmons does a fine job of showing how hurt Henry is that his taste didn't imprint on Gabe beyond grade school; what was their music became, simply, dad's music. - 50
Village Voice
In a rare leading role, character actor Simmons is saddled with the entirety of the film's diagrammatic emotional arc, briskly (and tediously) about-facing on matters of fatherhood, activism, and guitar rock, while a too-boyish Pucci is fatally unconvincing as a former band leader. - 50
Boxoffice Magazine
The Music Never Stopped isn't exactly good, but it's definitely better than you fear it is when you reach the halfway mark.
