The Song Spinner

So, you want to teach your children about the evils of censorship but don't want to expose them to South Park: Bigger Longer, and Uncut? Try this sweet family film instead. In a land where sound is outlawed, a child hears music in her head, and with the help of a mysterious older woman, tries to bring music back to her culture before eternal winter and silence condemn them.

The metaphors in this movie are thinly veiled, but are veiled enough so that young children can understand the message without feeling like they've sat through a lecture. The acting is, for the most part, very good, and even if the dialogue sounds stilted at times, it works to move the story along and keep it quick. Standouts in the cast are Patti LuPone as the musical enchantress Zantalalia, Meredith Henderson as the strong and stubborn Aurora, and Brent Carver as Aurora's father, who initially distrusts his daughter's goals but slowly learns to appreciate them. This movie is excellent for the under 10 set, but it might not be fast-paced enough for teenagers.

My initial draw to this movie was Patti LuPone and this is definitely worth a watch for her involvement alone. She plays a crazy, old witch who talks to an empty bird cage and has "the voice of a thousand suns". I was VERY surprised at how well done this movie was. The supporting cast, while not big name stars, are all incredible. Every character is believeable and fits into the story well. The plot is very good and presents a really interesting world for us to visit. I found myself completely involved in the journey.

There are a few negatives though. My biggest problem is that Patti LuPone only sings one song at the VERY end of the movie and throughout the only 'songs' or 'music' we get is ohhs/ahhs and humming. Even in the 'song Spinner' itself, it's only odd voices and not an actual song. For a movie with the premise of returning music to a country, I wanted a lot more music. The other big negative was that I found the plot to get a little muddled and weighed down by some of its own rules at times, but still a great story nonetheless.

The story plays out much like an old folktale with lovely music and a sweet story that's good for the whole family. It teaches about learning to follow one's own path, without hurting the people you love. "Song Spinner" makes for a wonderful holiday movie presenting an interesting question: What would the world be like without music?