Music Within

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After a speech teacher tells him he has no conviction because he hasn't experienced anything, Richard (Ron Livingston) goes off to fight in Vietnam and comes home deaf. Soon, he finds a swingin' girlfriend (Melissa George), befriends a man with cerebral palsy (Michael Sheen of "The Queen") and writes the educational manual that leads to the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.

Big question: Can "Music Within" recreate the evolution of the disability rights movement without getting too sentimental?

Catch it: Immensely likable and only occasionally too earnest, "Music Within" is a surprisingly entertaining story about a man who wanted to fight for something but took years to have something to say. Livingston and Sheen are good (not great), but this "Music" would sound better if the film worked harder to identify the fear behind people's prejudices against the disabled—and the language it took Richard to convince Washington that a change was in order.

Skip it: If you're opposed to jokes that sound a bit different when taken out of context. When Richard sees Art (Sheen) struggling to open an aluminum can, he says, "You look like you have a Coke problem." Maybe he should call Dr. Pepper!

Bottom line: Songs like "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Stuck in the Middle with You" make the late '60s/early ‘70s soundtrack seem canned, and likewise for the unconvincing scenes between Richard and his messed-up mom (Rebecca De Mornay). But we're all better off thanks to the ADA, and "Music Within" is a welcome addition as well.

Bonus: Here's a chance to reflect on your childhood if you, like Richard, also told a parent you couldn't follow their career path because you had already chosen to be a superhero. Hey, duty calls!

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