Seymour: An Introduction (2015) - Ethan Hawke

Directed by Ethan Hawke, Seymour: An Introduction is an intimate portrait of Seymour Bernstein, a renowned piano player, with an illustrious career as a performer, who gave it up to teach others, helping them reach their potential as muscians.  As a subject for a documentary, Seymour is a fascinating man, an incredibly tender soul, whose worldview is poignant and inspiring.   While the film centers around Seymour's love of music, Seymour: An Introduction is more about life itself, with music being the tool to speak too the artistic pursuit, but more importantlythe pursuit of happiness in oneself.  Seymour is a man who enjoys his solitude, leaving the stage behind due to conflict between Art and Commerce.  The idea of success being defined by acclaim or monetary value is meaningless in the eyes of Seymour, who expresses how art is a deeply personal thing.  The power and importance of music is deeply important to Seymour but the way he speaks to a larger, universal truth is what makes this film so interesting.  The discussion between talent vs. craft is a great example of this, as the film suggests that there is no artistry without craft, even though talent is the thing that society clings too.  This is not something that is not just true in the art world, but the athletic world, or even the social world, and Seymour: An Introduction is full of moments like this that are meditatations not only on life but on art itself.  In both art and life, the struggle is tough but important, as it's typically a stepping stone towards accomplishment.   Speaking to the importance of music, Seymour raises poignant points about hte emotional significance it brings, criticizing those that analytically dissect music, speaking to the point that the emotion is brings is the only thing of true signficance.  Featuring a fascinating subject, Ethan Hawke's Seymour: An Introduction is a poignant tale about art and life that is life-affirming is respects centered around self worth.  

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