This is truly an amazing movie. It is the true story of David
 Helfgott, an Australian concert pianist. David was a musical genius since
 childhood and his over-bearing, one might say, abusive father, Peter,
 drove him literally insane. The film shows Peter, a totalitarian authority
 figure, imposing a prison like lifestyle on the young David so that the
 boy has no real freedom of choice in anything. The father claims he is
 treating his son harshly as a display of love, and continually tells David
 that his own father treated him far worse. David is supposed to be
 gratefull that Peter's treatment of him is "mild" in comparison. When

 David is offered a scholarship and an opportunity to go to America to
 study music, his father orders him to reject the offer. David, showing a
 degree of autonomy for the first time in his life, refuses to obey his
 father, and goes off to America. Thereupon Peter ceases all communication
 with David, cutting him out of his life completely. David's career spirals
 upward to success. Suddenly, on day, as an adult, David suffers a mental
 breakdown while performing, and is thereafter mentally handicapped for the
 rest of his life, exhibiting bizzare behavior and unable to focus. Along
 the way David makes a series of friends who attempt to help him live his
 daily life. But it is the an astrologer Gillian, the woman who later
 becomes his wife, who has the most calming and serene affect on David, and
 although David never fully recovers from his madness, Gillian is there to
 care for him and to calm him when he becomes both manic and depressed.

        I strongly recommend that you see this fine. moving film, and I
also recommend that you bring plenty of tissues.

        The film has a wonderful cast, including Geoffrey Rush as David
Helfgott, Lynn Redgrave as Gillian Helfgott, and Armin Mueller-Stahl as
Peter Helfgott.

        The film is directed by Scott Hicks, and produced by Jane Scott.
Screenplay is by Jan Sardi.

Running time is 105 minutes.