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‘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

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Sean's Mount Rushmore of White Guys Who Emerged in the '70s

Mount Rushmore · Sean Fennessey · ▶ 11:53

  1. ·Al Pacino▶ 11:53
  2. ·Robert De Niro▶ 11:59
  3. ·Jack Nicholson▶ 11:53
  4. ·Dustin Hoffman▶ 11:53

Bill's points for "Are We Sure Mr. Holland Didn't Suck?"

Unranked list · Bill Simmons · ▶ 14:55

  1. ·No reaction when his wife tells him she's pregnant▶ 14:55
  2. ·Has to be upbraided by the principal and coach to start caring about his students▶ 15:03
  3. ·Wasn't there for his child's birth▶ 15:21
  4. ·Didn't want to pay for private school for his deaf child▶ 15:51
  5. ·Spends more time with his school kids than his real kid▶ 15:59
  6. ·Develops a crush on his high school student, writes Rowena's theme about her▶ 16:09
  7. ·Lies to his wife, claims Rowena's theme is about a Greek goddess▶ 16:17
  8. ·Almost runs off with a high school girl▶ 16:25
  9. ·Intermittently and consistently mean to his deaf son▶ 16:28
  10. ·Tells his deaf son he wouldn't understand why John Lennon's death was sad▶ 16:31
  11. ·Won't help his deaf son understand music, causing a tantrum▶ 16:41
  12. ·Grows a mustache, making it harder for his deaf son to read his lips▶ 16:46

Categories

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 16:47Mr. 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
Bill Simmons▶ 57:17Admits there wasn't much internet research for this movie: jokes that he Googled '1980 Portland age of consent' (to 'defend Mr. Holland'), notes the title could double as a porn title unchanged, teases 'good half-ass internet research' that Richard Dreyfuss was only 49 here, and reports no casting what-ifs found

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 28:12Jay Thomas — Jay Thomas - this is his Apex Mountain
Sean Fennessey▶ 28:14Jay Thomas — Agrees on Jay Thomas and discusses Terrence Howard's early career momentum from Dead Presidents through Mr. Holland's Opus to Sunset Park
Van Lathan▶ 29:11Terrence 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

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 36:22Multiple 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
Sean Fennessey▶ 38:44Highlighted 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)
Van Lathan▶ 37:38Discussed the football coach confrontation scene and provided analysis of the Rowena subplot, noting she represents Mr. Holland's former dreams and ambitions

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 50:26Movie 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
Sean Fennessey▶ 51:25Questions 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
Van Lathan▶ 51:09Agrees 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

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 58:39Couldn't find any casting what-ifs

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 59:04Balthazar Getty — Balthazar Getty as a 'retroactive that guy'
Sean Fennessey▶ 58:52Balthazar Getty — Balthazar Getty - acknowledges he has reverted to 'that guy' status
Van Lathan▶ 58:49Balthazar Getty

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:12Asked 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?
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:15:44The 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.
Van Lathan▶ 1:15:21The 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.

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:37Makes a case for teachers generally - that they finally have their movie to point to after putting in years of work
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:27:26Richard Dreyfuss — Dreyfuss - calling it the capper on his career, Academy Award nominated and great in the movie

Movies Referenced (87)

Jaws (1975)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan▶ 0:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Big Chill (1983)

8 mentions · Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:01:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rushmore (1998)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 11:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beautiful Boy (2018)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 24:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Caddyshack (1980)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dangerous Minds (1995)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 5:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 41:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Goodbye Girl (1977)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 8:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Graffiti (1973)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 6:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Casino (1995)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 25:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 8:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (4)

Tom Brady

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Hot Chick▶ 1:02:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ridley Scott

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Martian, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise▶ 1:07:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 26:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Quentin Tarantino

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn▶ 1:29:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (55)

Richard Dreyfuss

27 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan · Known for The Goodbye Girl, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Mr. Holland's Opus▶ 2:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Murray

15 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom▶ 8:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Terrence Howard

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Hustle & Flow, Crash, Iron Man▶ 14:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William H. Macy

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Fargo, Magnolia▶ 24:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Lennon

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for A Hard Day's Night, Yellow Submarine▶ 7:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Portland Helmich

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey▶ 33:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Murphy

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan · Known for Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor, Beverly Hills Cop II▶ 1:08:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jay Thomas

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Mr. Holland's Opus▶ 28:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jean Louisa Kelly

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Uncle Buck, Mr. Holland's Opus▶ 28:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Little Richard

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Predator, Last Action Hero, Predators▶ 10:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 8:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Balthazar Getty

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Lord of the Flies, Lost Highway▶ 58:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 2:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Lucas

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, THX 1138, American Graffiti▶ 12:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Patrick Sheane Duncan

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Courage Under Fire, Mr. Holland's Opus▶ 23:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗