Home/Episodes/Mr. Holland's Opus
‘Mr. Holland’s Opus’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan
December 29, 2020 · Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) · Drama · Music · 1:31:48 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsMr. Holland grows a mustache despite having a deaf son, making it harder for lip reading since mustaches make it much more difficult to read lips▶ 16:47
Apex Mountain
Sean FennesseyJay Thomas — Agrees on Jay Thomas and discusses Terrence Howard's early career momentum from Dead Presidents through Mr. Holland's Opus to Sunset Park▶ 28:14
Van LathanTerrence Howard — Discusses Terrence Howard's career trajectory and how he got typecast after The Best Man, but doesn't declare this as his apex mountain▶ 29:11
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including: breaking through with the redhead clarinet student, football coach yelling at Mr. Holland, Cole finding out he was deaf subplot, Beethoven classroom scene, principal retirement scene with 70s montage, Rowena singing 'Someone to Watch Over Me', and the 'Beautiful Boy' scene▶ 36:22
Sean FennesseyHighlighted the Beethoven classroom scene as Dreyfus's best acting in the movie, and noted personal connection to 'Beautiful Boy' scene (named after the John Lennon song)▶ 38:44
Van LathanDiscussed the football coach confrontation scene and provided analysis of the Rowena subplot, noting she represents Mr. Holland's former dreams and ambitions▶ 37:38
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsMovie is too long at 143 minutes (should be 117-118 max), entire bus station scene with logistical problems, the almost-kiss scene is an unforced error, and Mr. Holland naming his song after Rowena then inviting his wife to the play▶ 50:26
Sean FennesseyQuestions the timeline of Rowena leaving right after the play, criticizes the awkward kiss scene as being on a weird part of her face and drawing attention to the movie's weirdest element▶ 51:25
Van LathanAgrees the bus trip from Portland to NYC would take forever, questions why Rowena can't graduate first, and finds it unbelievable Mr. Holland would name the song after her given his feelings▶ 51:09
Joey Pants Award
Sean FennesseyBalthazar Getty — Balthazar Getty - acknowledges he has reverted to 'that guy' status▶ 58:52
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsAsked multiple questions: Are we sure the final opus song was good? More uptight William H. Macy character - Principal Walters or Little Bill? Are we sure the football coach wasn't gay? Better movie if Macy saves the program? Would you invite Macy to the final goodbye? Better/worse if Rowena was at the final opus?▶ 1:15:12
Sean FennesseyThe opus song sounds like triumphant but cheesy Disneyland ride music (like Soarin'). Never thought about the football coach being gay. Added question about naming a kid Coltrane Gershwin Holland.▶ 1:15:44
Van LathanThe opus song sounds like a music teacher's song - triumphant but cheesy. Little Bill was looser than Principal Walters since he worked on porn sets. Doesn't think the football coach was gay but finds it interesting. Questions why Mr. Holland didn't ask the governor for budget help. Wouldn't invite Macy - 'Fuck this guy, it's your fault.' Wonders about Rowena's fate in New York.▶ 1:15:21
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsMakes a case for teachers generally - that they finally have their movie to point to after putting in years of work▶ 1:27:37
Sean FennesseyRichard Dreyfuss — Dreyfuss - calling it the capper on his career, Academy Award nominated and great in the movie▶ 1:27:26
Movies Referenced (60)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaws (1975) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 0:24 |
| Boogie Nights (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:01:33 |
| Rushmore (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 11:54 |
| Beautiful Boy (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 24:43 |
| Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 41:02 |
| American Graffiti (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 6:50 |
| Casino (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 25:30 |
| Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 8:35 |
| Forrest Gump (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:51 |
| Pump Up the Volume (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:30:52 |
| Stand by Me (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:39 |
| The Godfather (1972) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 0:24 |
Directors Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Hot Chick | ▶ 1:02:59 |
| Ridley Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The Martian, Blade Runner | ▶ 1:07:00 |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 26:21 |
| Quentin Tarantino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn | ▶ 1:29:49 |
Actors Referenced (58)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Dreyfuss | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 27 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Mr. Holland's Opus | ▶ 2:28 |
| Bill Murray | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom | ▶ 8:48 |
| Terrence Howard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | Hustle & Flow, Crash, Iron Man | ▶ 14:23 |
| William H. Macy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | Fargo, Magnolia | ▶ 24:02 |
| John Lennon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | A Hard Day's Night | ▶ 7:20 |
| Portland Helmich | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 33:50 | |
| Eddie Murphy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | The Nutty Professor, Beverly Hills Cop II | ▶ 1:08:41 |
| Jay Thomas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Mr. Holland's Opus | ▶ 28:05 |
| Jean Louisa Kelly | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Uncle Buck, Mr. Holland's Opus | ▶ 28:24 |
| Little Richard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Predator, Last Action Hero, Predators | ▶ 10:46 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 8:22 |
| Balthazar Getty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | Lord of the Flies, Lost Highway | ▶ 58:49 |
Writers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 2:34 | |
| George Lucas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, American Graffiti | ▶ 12:21 |