The Competition is a well-crafted movie that features some interesting ideas about forbidden romance, but it is highly forgettable in the end. If anything, the movie is a good showcase for Richard Dreyfuss, five years removed from his breakthrough performance in Jaws. The film also features a good deal of music and the piano work is masterful and soothing to the ears. However, this is really not about a piano competition or music. At its core, we get a sweet (and perhaps a bit superficial) love story between two pianists.
There is a huge international piano competition occurring in San Francisco, where the world's best pianists gather to compete against each other. The first place prize is a $20,000 cash reward and a two-year concert contract. This is Paul's (Richard Dreyfuss) last chance to win the prize. However, newcomer Heidi (Amy Irving) might be the slightly better pianist. The two rivals form an unlikely romance, but is it likely to survive?
The reason the movie rises above mediocrity is because of its performances. Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving have a great rapport with each other. They are charming, and it is obvious their chemistry is strong. Lee Remick gives a strong supporting performance as Heidi's piano coach, Greta. Greta has a belief that Paul is trying to psychologically undermine her student so he can take the grand prize. I also must give credit to the actors for making us believe they play their own pianos. According to the end credits, there are actual pianists playing the music. I don't have a trained eye, so I believed they were playing the music for real.
The Competition is a warm, genuinely-sweet movie about an offbeat romance between two unlikely lovers. Is it a great movie? Not particularly, but no one can complain about a little syrup in our movies, can we? I would have liked more emphasis on the actual competition, and there is a weird subplot regarding a Russian piano teacher defecting to the United States that doesn't quite fit in. But in the end, this is a showcase for Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving to show off their talents and their chemistry.
My Grade: B
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