Music Within (2007)

33% of critics liked it
(42 reviews)
79% of users liked it
(3,727 ratings)

The story of celebrated public speaker Richard Pimentel comes to the screen in this biographical drama starring Ron Livingston, Melissa George, Rebecca De Mornay, and Hector Elizondo. As a young man, Pimentel (Ron Livingston) realized he had a remarkable gift for public speaking. Pimentel's idol is… More The story of celebrated public speaker Richard Pimentel comes to the screen in this biographical drama starring Ron Livingston, Melissa George, Rebecca De Mornay, and Hector Elizondo. As a young man, Pimentel (Ron Livingston) realized he had a remarkable gift for public speaking. Pimentel's idol is College Bowl founder Dr. Padrow (Elizondo), but upon trying out for Dr. Padrow, the ambitious young speaker is informed that he won't have anything to talk about until he has lived a full life. Realizing that there is some merit to Dr. Padrow's observation, Pimenel subsequently enlists in the military and prepares for duty in Vietnam. Later, while fighting on the battlefield, Pimentel loses his hearing and returns home disabled. Frustrated when others inform him that he will never achieve his dreams due to the fact that he is disabled, the determined veteran makes it his mission to prove them wrong. But it isn't as much about changing others' perceptions of the disabled as it is about altering their perceptions of themselves, and with a little help from foul-mouthed, cerebral palsy-stricken genius Art Honeyman (Michael Sheen), free-spirited beauty Christine (George), and mercurial, hard-drinking veteran Mike Stoltz (Yul Vázquez), Pimentel will play a pivotal role in creating the Americans With Disabilities Act, and finally discover his inner music. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Steven Sawalich
Written By: Kelly Kennemer, Bret McKinney, Mark Andrew Olsen
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Oct 26, 2007 Limited
On DVD: Apr 8, 2008
Studio: MGM

Critic Reviews

Claudia Puig, USA Today
The real world needs more dogged folks willing to tilt at windmills. But movies often don't do their stories justice, and that has happened again here.
Susan Walker, Toronto Star
Pimentel's persistence and eventual triumph over prejudice and discrimination is a story worth telling, if only on a shoestring.
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader
This offbeat biopic is driven by Ron Livingston's engaging performance as Richard Pimentel, a gifted public speaker who lost his hearing in the Vietnam war and then spearheaded the disability rights movement in the U.S.
Rex Reed, New York Observer
This is a nice little well-meaning idea for a movie, but even with three writers on the payroll, it never really catches fire.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
I wanted to like this film
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
All inspiring stuff, but Music Within is strictly by the numbers, even down to the predictable mood-setting period soundtrack numbers
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
Low on drama, but funny, with interesting characters, good performances and is uplifting without being too sweet.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's just too bad that the pious treatment given the deserving Pimentel never translated into a more engaging film.
Cynthia Fuchs, PopMatters
With period songs galore to tell you exactly what's going on inside protagonist Richard Pimentel (Ron Livingston), you hardly need plot or dialogue.
M.E. Russell, Oregonian
It gives me no pleasure to report that the [Richard] Pimentel biopic Music Within plays like a well-intentioned TV movie.
Marta Barber, Miami Herald
Salawich's film is entertaining and leaves you with warm feelings from learning about this man who turned adversity into good for so many others.
Liz Braun, Jam! Movies
If you're looking for one-dimensional, uplifting pap, Music Within fits the bill. It's watchable. Pimentel is obviously a really interesting guy, and it's a shame his tale wasn't told with a bit more flair.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...an agreeable though entirely uneven piece of work...
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
When the subject is not well-known, and the film about his life is unremarkable, the whole thing starts to feel like an exercise in futility.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Both Pimental and the audience would have been better served if his life were told as a PBS documentary.
Brandon Fibbs, Christianity Today
The low-budget Music Within may not entirely work on the outside, but at its core beats a very funny, very smart and very moving heart of gold.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
This is a heroic tale in many respects, but it's handled here with the heavy hand of television-quality hagiography.
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, TheMovieChicks.com
It hits some of the right notes, but at the wrong time and the overall effect is a song out of tune.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Thomas J

The story of a guy that is remarkable and accomplished great things. Although at times I feel the story is too much about his personal life than his professional life which brings his accomplishments. Some great people's lives do not make great movies.
Curtis L

After school special made watchable by the cerebral paulsy guy.
Leo L

Amazing! This movie centralizes around one man who works for the benefits and rights of all disabled individuals. It begins with war veterans and helping them get jobs, then eventually to all people. The story plot begins from back in the early 70's to the early 90's. Great… More
Amazing! This movie centralizes around one man who works for the benefits and rights of all disabled individuals. It begins with war veterans and helping them get jobs, then eventually to all people. The story plot begins from back in the early 70's to the early 90's. Great cast: Clint Jung, Michael Sheen, and John Livingston. A must-see!
Quinto W

An interesting story that wasn't executed to it's potential. Characters are introduced all the time, but fail to be developed properly or make the story flow. Still, Michael Sheen delivers a performance that must be seen.