Watch Mrs Carey's Concert For Free

Such a frustrating disappointment

Absolutely brilliant

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

contains spoilerThe first review in this section is such a Rant against Authority that it provokes me to write a rejoinder.This documentary will particularly interest lovers of classical music, because the film is full of it, and really good music too, edgy music from early 20th century composers (Ravel's string quartet, Vaughan Williams' Variation of a Theme of Thomas Tallis.It will particularly interest those who have an interest in how kids grow up, and acquire the discipline to achieve things that were once beyond their reach.And it will particularly interest those who are curious about how interventionist schools shape their students, and why the elite private schools of Australia, Britain and presumably other countries achieve such success in academic and artistic areas.MLC (Methodist Ladies College) is one of the elite girls' schools of Sydney, with expensive fees, a strong culture of achievement, and a policy to apply this to music. The annual school concert in the iconic Sydney Opera House = Mrs Carey's Concert = is one of the highlights of the school year, in which every student, musical or otherwise, interested or not, is obliged to take part.Chinese girls make up outsized part of the school's musical talent, and the film strikes a nice balance by focussing on two of them: one who is the school's outstanding violinist, Emily Sun, and another, Iris, who is the cool, defiant one, determined not to take part.Yes, the girls are pushed to achieve things, to play complex music that at first, and even close to concert night, seems beyond them. But they get swept up in it, push themselves, and they make it. You live it with them, and you share their excitement when the concert comes off.Reviewer 1 up above was aghast that this is achieved by a subtly authoritarian culture, where it is drummed into the girls that their music must come first in their lives. Well, whether it's football coaches or law firms or financial traders, that is how success is achieved, how promise is translated into achievement. That is why private schools are so good at what they do, and why these teenage girls, by the end of it, belong on the stage of the Sydney Opera House.

The various internet movie reviews (and the entirely disingenuous DVD cover) suggest MRS. CAREY'S CONCERT is some kind of "exhilarating feature film experience". I had to double-check to see if I had watched the same show.The movie I saw, a fly-on-the-wall documentary, is more an effective examination of the processes of indoctrination employed by teachers at a private girls' school. Perhaps it's due to the power of dramatic archetypes that critics and viewers alike stopped watching the story that was, and inferred something else entirely. I'm not sure.I didn't see "determination" or "the power of education to transform lives". I saw bullying and threats, as the teaching staff attempted to shoehorn off-the-rack notions of music into the minds of their callow pupils.The one notable exception, Iris, has been described elsewhere as "truculent" and "a villain" for no other reason than refusing to conform. Her crime seemed to be simply stating the truth of her feelings: that she was not interested in participating in the concert. What the hell is wrong with that? In almost any other dramatic context, Iris would be considered the hero.The privileged high school students---appropriately immature and unworldly---are patently unable to appreciate the deeper themes and emotions at the heart of classical music. Yet, are ruthlessly intimidated; if only to the point of appearing as if they do, just to make the intimidation stop.Emily, the competent violinist at the centre of the story seems to be singled out for additional verbal water-boarding for no other reason than that she is Asian. All of her ability and talent is brought to the school on the back of her own circumstance and dedication; I'm puzzled how anyone could think the teachers should take the credit for it.With the focus of the two year-long narrative being wholly on the destination (rather than the journey), it's no wonder the final performance is so bereft of joy, especially from the titular Mrs. Carey. By the end of it all, I didn't see kids transformed by the perseverance of one woman. I saw kids who simply seemed to be happy that the whole thing was finally over.It's impossible to watch this film and not invoke Chris Lilley from ANGRY BOYS or SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH. Nonetheless, the documentary is recommended viewing... just not for any of the reasons stated in the reviews or the marketing.To me, MRS. CAREY'S CONCERT demonstrates two things. Firstly, everything that is wrong with the education system, especially private education. Secondly, considering the comments, the insidious power of brainwashing.

This is a wonderful and uplifting new documentary about the year of prep in a Sydney girls high school for a large team of girls to stage a massive orchestra concert in the famed Sydney Opera House. Mrs Carey of the title is a no nonsense music teacher whose focus and commitment allows some unsure girls to trust their talent and instincts and genuinely rise to the occasion. However not all goes to plan and there is a group of mean girls whose taste in life and music is more Paris Hilton than Mrs Carey. The film makers here have struck antagonist gold with a real life roadblock to happiness and success with this group of surly selfish teenage girls determined to passive and aggressively train wreck the show. International viewers will love this Australian reality movie which alludes to Mr HOLLANDS OPUS and the Swedish choir film AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. Even the US teen drama DRUMLINE is in the same territory... and all 4 films are worth your time. This year it is Mrs Carey's turn and the final orchestra sequence shot live in the Sydney Opera house will have you and everyone in the cinema cheering. To Sir With Love? This film is a 2011 version that becomes To Mrs Carey With Music.

A great film with which to launch the 2011 Adelaide film festival, Bob Connolly and Sophie Raymond managed to capture the struggles of a headstrong and brilliant music teacher with equally headstrong students, on a journey towards a daunting and ambitious concert at the Sydney Opera House. We follow multiple characters through 18 months of preparation and hard work, but a single failure on anyone's part will jeopardise the whole effort.This is a great film about ego, passion, learning and commitment.Bob Connolly's masterful camera work and Sophie Raymond's gorgeous sound recording bring this story to life with an impressive intimacy.