The Choir

A petulant young boy is given a life-changing opportunity in this passable music drama. Newcomer Garrett Wareing plays an 11-year-old troublemaker gifted with an angelic singing voice, who winds up at America's National Boychoir Academy after his mother dies. The Academy functions as a prestigious boarding school for talented singers, and it's there that Wareing comes into conflict with both the pupils and the teaching staff,includingDustin Hoffman, the school's hard-to-please conductor. From here, the story veers between familiar and predictable, as we follow a disadvantaged youngster who is trying to earn respect from the people around him. Nevertheless, the singing is beautiful and the performances are solid, with Hoffman gaining quality support from the likes of Kathy Bates and Eddie Izzard. If you're looking for a harmless crowd-pleaser, this will fit the bill.