There are scenes in this movie, for example one with David playing piano during the worst time in his life, that are hard to forget about. The piano is falling apart (but it doesn’t matter). David is smoking a cigarette (but he doesn’t realize it). His glasses are broken (but he doesn’t need them). Music is the only thing that matters; it’s David’s freedom, his escape, such an integral part of his being that at times it consumes him entirely.

Shine is a beautiful story of madness and love masquerading as different things – some more obvious, some less, some negative, some positive. The performances here are breathtaking, and Geoffrey Rush’s oscar well-deserved. In the end credits, one line proclaims “Hand double for Geoffrey Rush: Himself” and it confirms the inkling you had: the actor actually plays all the music himself.

It is all even more authentic. Knowing that this is based on a true story of a troubled musical prodigy helps appreciate this movie. Not knowing how it ends helps too, even if it makes the viewing all the more nerve-racking.

Among David’s rapid-fire, confused dialogue, a question reappears every so often: “How does that sound?” I don’t think any of us, viewers, can truly understand what he means when he says that – but it’s also hard to imagine any movie doing a better job at bringing us as close as possible.