The movie begins in the 1960s when Mr. Glenn Holland is a young composer. Like many starting out in their careers, young Mr. Holland is looking forward to having fame and fortune.
As with so many, live does not follow the perfect plan Mr. Holland has in mind. He takes a job at John F. Kennedy High School so that he can work on his symphony.
New to the teaching profession, Mr. Holland is a tad awkward and a bit scared.
Eventually Mr. Holland connects with his students by using "rock and roll" and other popular music of the time to show the students that music is worthwhile.
As a musician, composer, and lover of music, Mr. Holland's world is rocked when he and his wife have a son and discover he is nearly completely deaf.
During the 30 years of teaching, Mr. Holland faces a series of other challenges including his ultimate forced "retirement" when the music department is shutdown because of budgetary issues.
Was Mr. Holland's Life a Failure or Success?
Mr. Holland is met at school by his wife, and son, as he packups his belongings to head off into "retirement."
While there, a commotion can be heard. When Mr. Holland goes to investigate, he finds the auditorium is filled with past and present students.
Gertrude Lang, who was a struggling clarinetist from Holland's first year teaching, is now Governor of Oregon. She gives the following speech at the retirement party in the school's auditorium.
Mr. Holland had a profound influence on my life and on a lot of lives I know. But I have a feeling that he considers a great part of his own life misspent. Rumor had it he was always working on this symphony of his. And this was going to make him famous, rich, probably both. But Mr. Holland isn't rich and he isn't famous, at least not outside of our little town. So it might be easy for him to think himself a failure. But he would be wrong, because I think that he's achieved a success far beyond riches and fame. Look around you. There is not a life in this room that you have not touched, and each of us is a better person because of you. We are your symphony Mr. Holland. We are the melodies and the notes of your opus. We are the music of your life.
Anyone with a heart will be moved by this movie.
The film shows value of human lives, love of family, self-sacrifice, and marital fidelity.
It shows us that even if life doesn't go according to your plan, one person can have a tremendous impact in the lives of many during their life.
Will Our Lives Be Failures or Successes?
Many people, Christians included, are like the person quoted in James 4:13 who say "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit."
This is what the Hollands thought. He would teach music for a few years and she would be a photographer. They would then have saved enough money for him to compose full-time.
James 4:14 tells them and us, "yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."
Yes, we need to plan for the future but realize that we do not know the future.
If we don't reach our professional or financial goals are we failures? What if we hit those goals? Are we successful?
It depends on what we did to reach those goals. Did we sacrifice our family, our health, or relationships? If so, is that success?
The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:23-24, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
These verses were preceed by verse 22 which states, "Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord."
While there are more slaves in the world now than in any other time in history, most of us are not actual slaves.
We should work unto the Lord in all we do.
In doing so, we will our reward. That reward can happen in the here and now, but will certainly happen in the after-life.
I think the best thing a Christian can hear is found in Matthew 25:23. "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."
Our Impact May or May Not Be Known in This Lifetime
There is a song called "Thank You" by Ray Boltz that came out in 1988.
The lyrics are haunting for those of us that wonder if we are making a difference in the lives of those around us, like Mr. Holland wondered.
The song begins with a man recounting a dream of his where he had visited heaven.
He meets several people that he unknowingly impacted during his life.
I dreamed I went to heaven You were there with me We walked along the streets of gold Beside the crystal sea We heard the angels singing Then someone called your name You turned and saw a young man He was smiling as he came
He said friend, you may not know me now But then he said but wait You used to teach my Sunday school When I was only eight Every week you would say a prayer Before the class would start One morning when you said that prayer I asked Jesus in my heart
Thank you for giving to the Lord I am a life that was changed Thank you for giving to the Lord I am so glad you gave
Then another man stood before you And said remember the time A missionary came to your church His pictures made you cry You didn't have much money But you gave it anyway Jesus took the gift you gave And that's why I'm here today
Thank you for giving to the Lord I am a life that was changed Thank you for giving to the Lord I am so glad you gave
One by one they came, As far as the eye could see Each one somehow touched By your generosity Little things that you had done, sacrifices made Unnoticed on the earth, heaven now proclaims And I know up in heaven That you're not supposed to cry But I was almost sure There were tears in your eyes As Jesus took your hand And you stood before the Lord And He said my child look around you For great is your reward
Thank you for giving to the Lord I am a life that was changed Thank you for giving to the Lord I am so glad you gave I am so glad you gave I am so glad you gave.*
What We Do Matters
Remember that Ephesians 2:10 tells us believers, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Take comfort in Philippians 1:6 where Paul reminds us, "and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
As Paul instructed Timothy, we should take 2 Timothy 2:15 to heart, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
* Writer/s: RAYMOND H. BOLTZ, Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Movie Information
Release Date: December 20, 2006
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas, Olympia Dukakis
Genre: Drama Music
Audience: All
MPA Rating: PG
Runtime: 143 minutes
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures/Walt Disney Company/Hollywood Pictures
Director: Stephen Herek
Executive Producer: Patrick Sheane Duncan, Scott Kroopf
Producers Robert W. Cort, Ted Field, Michael Nolin
The Motion Picture Association gave this movie a rating of PG because of mild language.
As a Christian, there certainly portions of this movie that are the opposite of Philippians 4:8 where Paul tells us, "Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
I am aware that some of my fellow believers may not watch this film in its entirety. Hopefully, the scene and quote used in this devotional post allows someone to hear a non-believer make reference to this movie or quote and you, my fellow believer, can then use this devotional to bring in the Biblical truth this devotional shares.
Reel Devotions Rating and Review
My Review
I give this movie a thumbs up and 5 stars.
This film shows you the impact that a single person can have on their community and the world at large. If you don't cry at least once during this film, you are not human.
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Disclaimer
This is a fan site and is in no way associated with any of the companies that produced or distributed the movies. The views are mine and mine alone. Unless you count comments or a guest post. But you get the idea.
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