They Came to Play (2008) User Reviews

A riveting film about passionate people playing the piano

[jmkaganmd · 9/10 · 19 February 2009]

Here is a film that when you leave with friends you can actually sit down and have a conversation about it.

The passion of the people in this exciting competition and the story each tells through the film offer many emotions. The music is wonderful.

As the competition unfolds you find yourself involved and perhaps even wondering or rooting for one of these truly talented people who in their "spare time" just happen to have a passion for playing the piano. The director allows each of the stories to unfold without bias.

Go see and listen -- you'll have a good time.

A documentary as vibrant as those it documents

[mbhscarpenter · 9/10 · 15 March 2013]

In case you are unfamiliar, the background to this documentary is an amateur piano competition inspired by one of the great virtuosic pianists of the 20th century, Van Cliburn. The film follows the lives of maybe 10-15 of the competitors, capturing their highs and lows during the competition and telling their individual stories.

Even when one considers the remarkable musical accompaniment provided to the film by the competition, the beauty of this piece is found in the competitors themselves.

In each of the amateur pianists, the viewer finds something familiar -- admittedly with greater frequency and magnitude in some than others. The director chose such a diverse cross-section of personalities and personal histories -- from the relatively not-uncommon to the fascinating and even, on occasion, absurd -- that it is just as easy to believe that the person sitting in the concert hall before the piano, hands sweating, heart racing, creating beautiful music for the world, is you. And in a sense, as this is an amateur competition, maybe it is.

I am not a gifted musician, but the message of this documentary rings as true for me as does Mozart/Bach/Rachmaninoff from the Steinway. I think a quote from Maestro Cliburn near the beginning of the documentary aptly captures the production's spirit.

"Musical inspiration is the gift of God. Use it with the purest of motives. Aim high and consider yourself capable of great things. Lend your talents to the world to make it better."

The second half of the quote -- beginning with "aim high" -- articulates the message that every person, regardless of musical aptitude, can take from this documentary. It is at once delightfully entertaining and happily inspiring.

Documentary of an international piano competition filled with music, people and passion (really)

[beth-krugler · 10/10 · 2 February 2009]

I tend to judge a film on two criteria: 1) do I care about the characters? and 2) what kind of "stickability" does the film have with me--do I remember it tomorrow? next week? next month?

First, regarding this film's "characters", this is a documentary, so all of these people are real people--and I might add real characters. As Ann Landers used to say "truth is stranger"; you simply could not script this stuff any better.

To explain, the competition at the heart of this documentary is international in scope and limited to the serious amateur who is at least 35 years old. What this translates into is a competition among people who despite their tremendous love of music, as well as their apparent mastery of the piano, know they will never "make it" professionally--i.e. no one's leaving their day job anytime too soon. This is key: this movie is all about people willing to put themselves out there to passionately pursue a dream all the while knowing that even if the dream is achieved, their daily lives will go on pretty much the same as before.

The movie chronicles the journey these passionate, talented people are willing to take leading them to Fort Worth, Texas for this rather intense five day competition. At the beginning, the film introduces you to a handful of the competitors in their homes as they prepare for the competition. Later, you get to see many of these same people as they leave the stage in their physically exhausted, emotionally open and raw state. You hear their stories; you get to know them. And ultimately, you pick your personal favorites. Then, you get to watch them fight it out as they each pursue the prize of a first place finish.

In short, I loved these "characters", but what's more is that I admired them deeply. My sense is that it is people like these competitors who are showing us all how to live. How to pull out all the stops and really go for it.

In terms of the movie's "stickability", I saw the movie three months ago and as you can see if you've read this far, it is still very much with me.

If you are a fan of the documentary, this movie is a must see; it spins a yarn as tightly as did "Spellbound" or "WordPlay". If you are a fan of classical music, this movie is a must see; the music throughout is beautifully performed. If on the other hand, you are just okay with documentaries and don't really care for classical music--please see it anyway. Assuming you are an alive breathing human being--you will go away glad you did if for no other reason than the entertainment value.

But beyond that, seeing it may leave you open to living life just a little more fully--something you don't typically get from a night at the movies.

A Musical Delight

[symphonic_be · 10/10 · 18 February 2009]

This movie is a joy to watch and clearly shows how to live life well no matter what we do for a living. It was well received at both Lincoln Center at Juilliard and at Rockefeller University.

The film brings explores the blessings that music brings us and it lifts us up in unexpected ways. It shows us how the spirit inside of each of us can be reborn and filled with love and passion even when we are in our darkest moment addicted to drugs and having lost everything. And through the human spirit of triumph, music can bring people together and become married and it can even drive them away from each other as result of their differing passion for the subject.

The film also shows us how music brings joy to a man afflicted by aids who soul searches for why he is different. And yet his message is deep for why he is alive while his partner had passed on. The film shows the goodness of this man and how special he is.

The film also shows how the love of music triumphs becoming a fearless force so that nothing can kill the hope, the dreams that one has even if we struggle with our hearing because of cancer.

I, also personally witnessed how the film inspired the audience. When watching the film, I sat next to a former Van Cliburn professional contestant from 40 years ago and the film made him contemplate the thought of playing again after putting down a deep love and career many years ago.

So this film is a passion that does not leave us no matter how life gets in the way. It brings people together the way music does. Its nature is that of music and it inspires us to live life well.

Better than the Olympics!

[dwf-3 · 10/10 · 18 February 2009]

I saw the film at a screening here in Los Angeles last year. I'll confess, I know the both the director and editor and am very fond of them and their work. Regardless, this is a brisk, captivating, and compelling depiction of an "amateur" competition that will knock the socks off anyone with a pulse. These are everyday folks who possess--or are possessed by--herculean skills, and the film really gets inside them...quirks, warts, and all. You're as likely to squirm with unease as you are squeal with delight, and be equally gratified either way. This is a wonderful film about conviction and obsession, a joyride through the artistic soul.

A Perfect 10

[leslieghawke · 10/10 · 19 February 2009]

As soon as this film is available on DVD I am going to buy twenty copies to keep on hand to give to my over 40 friends on their birthdays. The underlying message is "go for it!". In an age when many gifted people consider themselves failures if they don't reach the world fame level in their field, it's a refreshing reminder of the power and pleasure of art for art's sake.

"They Came to Play" was a delightful peek, for a non-musician like myself, into the intriguing and whimsical minds of the musically gifted. It was also an extraordinary feat of editing. It would be interesting to know how many contestants the filmmaker followed in order to come up with the final set of featured individuals.

I loved this movie!

[tomgallaher2006 · 10/10 · 3 February 2009]

I loved this movie, a documentary of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Amateurs. This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It's a perfect combination of interesting men and women from around the world and some of the best music the world has ever known. That these great pianists are "ordinary" people only adds to the delight of the movie. And without trying to be funny, the movie is surprisingly funny.

The stories of the players are fascinating: some were funny, some were poignant, one was downright sad. Each of the featured contestants gets just the right amount of time on camera. And as the movie progresses, you see and hear more of their wonderful talent. By the end of the movie, I found myself hoping so much that one especially intriguing contestant would win. If you like classical music, you'll love this movie. If you don't like classical music, you'll still love this movie.

Riveting, touching - and tremendously funny

[mona-nicoara · 24 February 2009]

I saw this film in New York together with a large audience that was roaring with laughter. The characters are impeccably selected, every shot is delightfully planned and composed, and the editing is intelligent and fast-paced. The filmmakers show tremendous compassion and admiration for their subjects, while keeping the film light, quirky, and funny. Combine that with a deep understanding not only of classical music, but also of the vagaries of human destiny, and you've got a pretty difficult balancing act.The fact that, after laughing with the characters for almost two hours, the New York audience rose to its feet to give a hero's welcome to the finalists of the competition, who were in attendance, is a testament to the filmmakers' ability to pull this balancing act flawlessly.

A must-see documentary on adults reunited with their childhood dreams.

[mrneagu-1 · 10/10 · 19 February 2009]

"They came to play" is as uplifting as it is inspiring, as funny as it is touching. The movie establishes a personal and intimate relationship with its characters – unique personalities indeed. Its flawless change of perspective from the main characters, everyday individuals with real-life problems, and a passion to play the piano at the highest level, to their families, and the awed audience of the Van Cliburn Classical piano competition for Amateurs creates a perfect pace for this documentary and involves the movie audience in this incredible experience of fulfilling dreams in spite of life's many obstacles. For music lovers, the performances and musical choices are an exquisite treat. Without giving away the stories that this movie tells so piercingly, the choice of characters and participants is beautifully varied, and any viewers may find a little bit of themselves in these incredible individuals. Doubtlessly, this movie is an inspiration for those afflicted with a life-long love for music, regardless of where life has taken them. Beyond filling musical hearts with joy, however, this labor of love is so caringly crafted that it also warms the souls of non-musicians. The message is clear, whatever your background, whatever your interest, live your dream. Enrich your life at home, in your family, at work, and the lives of those around you, by tenaciously pursuing that passion that is uniquely you; like a true lover would.

They came to play for love, not for money

[mariannay · 20 February 2009]

This is a "Spellbound" about music (for those you have seen this documentary about Spelling Bee competition). The film follows a group of pianists during a yearly Amateur Piano Competition held in Texas in the United States.

The film is greatly edited, is entertaining and very witty. Moldovan housewife from the former USSR now living in California - Esfir is really touching, as well as an ophthalmologist from Alabama and many other contestants. There are software engineers, a TV producer, a flight attendant and a federal judge.

They are all are over forty and have day jobs. And some of them have overcome something quite challenging in their lives - AIDS... heartbreak... political asylum...

And, what is also important - the film celebrates great classical music: from Beethoven's The Tempest - to Rachmaninoff and Bach, Haydn and Chopin. A contestant or two will crash and burn on stage, but nobody's career will be ruined. In fact, there is nothing "amateur" about most of these pianists - some of them are brilliant - like Drew Mays - and they came to play for love, not for money.

What a sad disappointment

[darkness_visible · 12 November 2012]

It's difficult to know how it's possible to go wrong making a film like this, especially considering there is no shortage of existing dot-to-dot templates (e.g. Spellbound) to work from, yet somehow director Rotaru manages to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. There is nothing egregiously terrible about the film per se, it's just that while watching it one can't help but get caught up in a stream of consciousness fantasy about how it ought to have been so much better. Strange artistic decisions abound - when Drew Mays is shown practicing at home we have to sit through several minutes of children dressed as fairies pirouetting in the foreground; capsule background biographies extend five to ten minutes longer than welcome; an absurd attempt is made to manufacture a heterosexual romance between an obviously closeted gay male performer and some random woman; but apparently no one makes any attempt to protect contestants from themselves and ensure they are dressed in a manner they won't be ashamed to watch on screen in years to come. Of course one could say that a documentarian's responsibility is simply to observe and present, but surely after 15 years of reality TV there's a pretty much universal understanding that story and character are components that are built and enhanced in the edit. There wasn't enough music, and what there was of it wasn't the right music. Weirdly we see two pianists performing Schumann's Toccata at different points in the film, but even more weirdly the exact same passage, not even representative of the piece as a whole, is used on both occasions. All the ingredients were there to make a fantastic, uplifting and energizing film about second chances, determination and the healing power of music, yet upon removal from the oven this soufflé fell flat as a pancake.