The Music Never Stopped 2011

Andy Webster, New York Times: Presumably intended as an inspirational medical drama, this dated effort congeals into stale nostalgia. Mr. Simmons deserves better. Read more

Ted Fry, Seattle Times: The sentiments are real without succumbing to exaggerated sentimentality, thanks in large part to that big lovable lug, J.K. Simmons. Read more

Nathan Rabin, AV Club: A powerful, even shattering look as music's power to unite where it once divided. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: It's sentimental, yet so honest and eccentric that it rises above schmaltz. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: A wounded and hopeful take on generation gaps and the wider, nearly unbridgeable chasms created by neurological disaster. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Sketchy and heavy on the treacle. Read more

Eric D. Snider, Film.com: This is the kind of warm, uncluttered, feel-good film that you take your parents to see, and I absolutely mean that in a good way. Read more

James Greenberg, Hollywood Reporter: A sentimental but deeply felt true story about the healing power of music. Read more

Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: A father-son drama that wraps a gripping neurological oddity in comfortably familiar movie sentimentality. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: The Music Never Stopped is 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. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: It sounds like TV-grade schmaltz, but it isn't, thanks to expertly astringent work by Simmons... Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: The songs and a couple of strong performances are only good enough to make the film watchable, not exceptional. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Kohlberg is determined to manipulate your emotions; he succeeds. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: A medley of "Memento," "The King's Speech" and "Hair," "The Music Never Stopped" is sentimental pop packaged as a profound rock opera. Read more

Dennis Harvey, Variety: The novel premise and otherwise nuanced performances are enough to hold attention. Read more

Eric Hynes, Village Voice: Strain is evident elsewhere. Read more